What is the Law of Christ?
What does Galatians 6:2 mean?
There are many laws in the Bible. There is the Law of Moses and the Law of God. There is the law of sin and the law of faith. There is the law of righteousness and the law of liberty. But what is the law of Christ?
If you don’t know the law of Christ – and many people don’t – you’ll be susceptible to those who preach law.
“The law of Christ is the Biblical law. It’s loving the Lord your God with all your heart.”
No, no, no.
The Law of Moses and the Ten Commandments are not the Law of Christ. This is:
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34)
Jesus did not come to give us an old law but a new one, and a life-giving one at that. The law of Christ is love one another, as I have loved you.
I’m sure you have read this commandment before, but do you realize what it means?
“It means I’m supposed to be a good Christian and love other people as I love myself.”
No, that’s not what it means. To love your neighbor as yourself is the royal law of the old covenant. It’s an old commandment but Jesus is preaching a new commandment.
A new commandment
What is the law of Christ? The law of Christ is both a new law and a new kind of law. It’s a new law for a new creation. What is new about it? These five words:
…as I have loved you.
Under the old, you loved others as yourself and if you didn’t have it in you to love others, perhaps because they hurt you, then you were a lawbreaker. But in the new, we receive the love of God and out of the overflow of that love we are empowered to love others.
See the difference?
Under the old, you provided the love, but in the new God supplies all our needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Love one another
The Apostle John was familiar with the Law of Christ:
This is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. (1 John 3:11)
John heard the message from Jesus. He called it “his commandment” (1 John 3:23) or a “new commandment” (1 John 2:8). We don’t love one another to become the children of God; we love because we are the children of the God-who-is-love (1 John 4:8). As we receive our Father’s unqualified love, are we able to love others with the same abandon.
How do we love one another? Not through empty chatter and Facebook likes, but by caring and carrying each other in our troubles:
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
Because Jesus carries you, you can carry others. Because Christ is with you in your trial, you can be with others in theirs. Because Christ has forgiven you, you can forgive others.
As Christ loved you
If you have been in church for any length of time, you have probably be told to love your neighbor as yourself. This command may even be hanging on your wall. If so, take it down immediately.
The command to love others as you love yourself is a death-dealing dictate. It will either feed your pride (look how loving I am!) or minister condemnation (I can’t love that sinner).
If you’ve been badly hurt, you will know how unreasonable it is to be told to love and forgive the one who hurt you. You’ll try to forgive them, but some things are just too hard.
There is a better way. Bring the broken pieces of your heart to Jesus and let him heal you. Tell him how bad it hurts. Receive his unconditional love and find rest in his arms.
Then as you begin your journey back to wholeness, pray for the one who hurt you. If you have no words to say, allow the Spirit of grace to guide you.
As you receive from the abundance of your Father’s love you will be healed, made whole, and empowered to love those who have wronged you.
What is the law of Christ? The law of Christ is the power of God that brings healing and restoration to all who receive his love. It is the grace to be loved and to love others in return.
In my next article I will list all the types of laws in the Bible. If you have wondered about the different laws, you won’t want to miss that one.
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More articles about the law.
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Escape to Reality 
Excellent description brother Paul. You nailed it! What a blessing your posts are. “There is a better way. Bring the broken pieces of your heart to Jesus and let him heal you.” Amen! Is that not the New Covenant message to the world that is drowning in its self-inflicted, self-annihilation, demolition campaign – descending ever further into madness in its pursuit to build a system of self-sustainment? I firmly believe that writers such as yourself, Paul, will play a huge role as people are awakening all over the world out of a satanic trance to find that they’ve been living as prisoners to a system that is using and abusing them. With their new awareness of a bigger picture, there is a great need for shepherding to the true light of Christ as there will be many imposters.
Great article
This is such great revelation! Thank you again, Pastor Paul!
Excellent! Very well said.
Ah yes, Thank you Paul. Now I understand the difference between the royal law and the law of Christ. Thank you.. Ron M.
Regarding the following: If you have been in church for any length of time, you have probably be told to love your neighbor as yourself. This command may even be hanging on your wall. If so, take it down immediately.The command to love others as you love yourself is a death-dealing dictate. It will either feed your pride (look how loving I am!) or minister condemnation (I can’t love that sinner).
I understand that you give reason(s) as to why this a death-dealing dictate (and I don’t agree them). But you give no biblical basis for throwing this verse out. It seems you are cherry picking. But honestly, other than that, you do great work! Keep it up brother!
How about 2 Cor. 3:7 where Paul calls the law a ministry of death?
Paul, no. Not at all. By that logic, let’s just ignore the “law” to Love God. Furthermore, Jesus is giving an ethic to follow. No, Christianity isn’t all about morality, but there’s a place for it.
Not everything in the Bible is either law or grace. It’s not so black and white.
Indeed, but the question is where does your morality come from? In the new covenant, morality comes from the indwelling spirit. In the old covenant, morality came from external rules.
The difference is the difference between life and death. If you look to yourself as your source, you are walking in the flesh which is the way of corruption (Gal. 6:8). This is why Christ does not encourage us to love our neighbors as ourselves, but to love them with the love he gives us. Everything in the new covenant encourages us to walk in the new way of the spirit rather than the old way of the flesh.
Not a law issue? Well Jesus called it a new commandment and Paul called it the law of Christ.
Thanks so much Sir Paul,
Every article on this site are very encouraging to know the grace of God, like this one. Your site is one of my favorite and reference to know Jesus, His grace and love. Blessings!!!
Thank you, Erick.
I wrote a paper on the topic of your email, and your message is much simpler and clearer. Jesus’s message was certainly not a “doubling-down” on the Law! That would NOT be good news. God bless you and your ministry. DanL
Thanks for another great article. When we see a commandment in the Bible as something we must do in our own strength (in the flesh), it will result in death. The life of Jesus can only be freely received by abiding in Him. This is living in the Spirit.
Thank you, Sir Paul! I understand to love others with the Love of God, means to speak the truth in love, to forgive, bless them and not do something against them, but if we feel hurt yes, go to Jesus for healing and not let any root of bitterness appear, guard our heart, not let them to steal our joy and peace, we are called to live in peace, if is possible, means if is not possible, we have to love them from distance and pray for them and let God deal with them, to send them labourer in their path, i am right? Thank you, God bless you
You don’t love others because you love yourself. You love others because Jesus loves you. Jesus loves us not because we are loveable, but because He is a loving God! Now the greatest commandment of all “ love one another”.
Hello Noel. For sure, Jesus loves us because He is a loving God. But do you think it would be wrong to say that God loves us also because he sees something that actually is loveable in us?
I feel a new book is coming. Awesome teachings
Loved this message. Explained Christ’s love perfectly.
Greetings…I want to know more of this law
There isn’t any more to say. I encourage you to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus instead.