Faith & Love: A One Year Bible Reading Plan - Part 5Sýnishorn

Jesus is nearing the end of his time on Earth. His arrest and crucifixion are imminent. He makes his final journey to Jerusalem over Passover. He has done and said many things up to this point – enraging the religious elite. The Pharisees and Scribes seek all the more reason to arrest him. It is in this context that Jesus speaks seven woes over the religious leaders, accusing them of forgetting what faith in God is all about. They have elevated the law and obedience to the law and have forgotten to love God and to love people. In fact, they excel so far in obeying the law that they completely neglect justice, mercy, and faithfulness. People suffer underneath the weight and burden of all the rules in following God. The Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah, is right in front of them, and yet they completely miss him.

Jesus challenges the religious elite with the idea that it is possible to be busy with the things of God and yet not see God. This is the encouragement for us today, living in the new covenant – to lay aside the burden of performance and to embrace following a person.

Faith and love are not grounded in our obedience to the letter of the law. Faith and love, and the expression or outflow thereof, is founded in the revelation of a person – Jesus Christ.

When we discover Jesus, we realize that his perfect obedience to the law sets us free from the burden of performance. This is why Jesus came to introduce a new commandment: that we love one another and that we walk in justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

If we neglect loving others with the love God has extended towards us through his Son while taking pride in our piety or holiness, then we, like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day – completely miss the work of God right in front of us.

Love ought to be the hallmark of those who follow Jesus. We are no longer judged by how well we obey rules but rather by how well we love.

Have you been liberated from the burden of performance and embraced the freedom of being loved unconditionally by God?

In what area of your life are you still trying to obey and perform your way into God’s presence?

How can you practically extend this love to those around you?