God's Law of Love
God's Law of Love |
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The Guiding Principle of the Family International
An expert in the law tested Jesus with this question, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:35-40)1
Jesus defined the "Law of Love" in general terms in this important passage in the New Testament. He expressed it another time in His famous "golden rule": "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets" (Matthew 7:12). The apostle Paul echoed this principle when he wrote: "The entire law is summed up in a single command: Love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:14). These biblical passages express the heart and soul of all of God's laws and should guide all our actions and interaction with others. We refer to them as "God's Law of Love."
It is our understanding from these and other Scriptures that loving God first and foremost and loving others result in the ultimate fulfillment and completion of biblical law, including the Ten Commandments. If we as Christians love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, and our neighbor as ourselves, we will naturally fulfill the spirit of all the other laws. For example, we won't put other gods before Him or take His name in vain. To love our neighbors as ourselves precludes murdering them, stealing from them, lying to them, or coveting what they have.
The motivation for us-as Christians-to obey these commandments should not be out of a fear of divine judgment, but rather because we are compelled by our love for God and others to exhibit consideration and kindness to our neighbors. We refrain from activities forbidden by the Ten Commandments because they would not be in accordance with our love for God and others.
We believe that through the Lord's salvation, and because of His Law of Love as expressed in the verses listed above, Christians are released from the hundreds of rules under the Mosaic laws in the Old Testament and are no longer required to observe them. The Family International's [the Family] members do practice some aspects of the Mosaic law out of common sense and as a part of love. For example, we refrain from eating foods classified in the Bible as "unclean," or engaging in unhealthy habits such as smoking or overconsumption of alcohol or food, because to do so would hinder our health-and thus our ability to minister to others. However, we do not feel bound to refrain from those practices as religious ordinances.
We therefore hold as a basic tenet that if a person's actions are motivated by unselfish, sacrificial love-the love of God for others-and are not intentionally hurtful to others, these actions are in accordance with Scripture and are lawful in the eyes of God. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. Against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Religious Law vs. God's Grace
John wrote in his Gospel: "The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17 NKJ). Jesus further emphasized the newness of His approach when He said, "A new command I give you: Love one another" (John 13:34). Not surprisingly, this radical doctrine-of no longer being bound by the law, but bound only to love God and your neighbor as yourself-caused a raging controversy between Jesus and His followers on the one hand and the religious leaders of the day on the other. The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day lived under the Old Testament's Mosaic law, and said of Jesus' doctrine, "This is against Moses and against the law" (Luke 10:27; Acts 6:11-14; 21:28).
The controversy over whether or not keeping the Mosaic law should be required of new believers spilled over into the early Christian movement. From its very inception, a struggle has ensued between those who believed that Christ's sacrifice on the cross was the fulfillment of biblical law, releasing believers from the Old Testament Mosaic laws, and the legalists (referred to as "the concision"), who believed that all the Old Testament laws, customs, and traditions must be observed, in addition to one believing in Christ's atonement for sins.
As recorded in the book of Acts in the Bible, Paul reached out to the Gentiles with the gospel of salvation, but he and his converts were at times constrained by the elders of the Early Church in Jerusalem to compromise and observe some of the Mosaic laws. Yet Paul maintained the conviction that the old Mosaic law was ended, fulfilled, and superseded by Christ's sacrifice on Calvary. He wrote, "Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes" (Romans 10:4). "We have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code" (Romans 7:6). "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law" (Galatians 3:13).
Some Christians feel that they should still follow the Mosaic law, but unfortunately this can often result in legalism and an unkind or unloving standard that emphasizes rules rather than Jesus' love. However, a thorough study of the Scriptures illuminates Jesus' true intent. Paul explains: "[You] are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14 KJV). "Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law" (Galatians 3:25). "[You] are become dead to the law by the body of Christ" (Romans 7:4 KJV). We are to live by His new standard, the Law of Love.
The Law of Love Is a Stricter Code
In many ways, God's Law of Love requires a stricter code of conduct than the Mosaic law. The Ten Commandments, the central tenets of the Mosaic law, stated that people were expected to act justly and righteously, but under Jesus' Law of Love, much more is required of humankind-sacrificial love and mercy.
This godly love is a much higher ideal to aspire to than mere religious righteousness. Under the Mosaic law, there was little forgiveness or mercy. It was "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20). Jesus, to the contrary, said, "Do to others what you would have them do to you" (Matthew 7:12). Jesus even went as far as to say that we should love our enemies and forgive them! (Matthew 5:38-44). This ultimate application of Jesus' Law of Love renders it much greater, more extensive, and more profound than the old Mosaic law.
In fact, Jesus' law is so much more difficult to keep as to render it humanly impossible without divine help. Jesus told His disciples, "Without Me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5 KJV), while on the other hand Paul also tells us we "can do all things through Christ who strengthens us" (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).
Our founder, David Brandt Berg (1919-1994), in referring to this principle wrote, "Jesus' law is much stricter [than the Mosaic law], much more difficult to keep-in fact, impossible. If the old law was impossible, Jesus' law is even more impossible! You can't possibly keep His Law of Love unless you're saved and you have Jesus in your heart-the Spirit of God's love within you, to give you the power and the strength to love others more than you love yourself" ("Grace," pars. 35-36).
The Love Charter [for Family disciples]2 summarizes this principle in its reference to Jesus' Law of Love, by stating that full-time Family members are responsible to "endeavor to live by the principles of Jesus' Law of Love: to love, care for, and interact lovingly and harmoniously with all members of their Home and the community in which they live." This key principle sets the tone for The Charter: "Unselfish love-the love that puts the needs of others before our own, the great love that lays down its life for others, the love of God in our hearts-that is the heart and soul of this Charter" (6).
Sexuality and the Law of Love
It is our belief that Jesus' Law of Love can also be applied to our sexual interaction with others. Although Christian scholars throughout history have explored this subject, applying Jesus' Law of Love to sexuality sets the Family apart from mainstream Christian theology.3 David Berg taught from the Scriptures that sexuality is not inherently evil in the eyes of God, and furthermore, that because of these Scriptures, loving heterosexual relations between consenting adults, regardless of marital status, are permissible as long as others immediately affected by these actions are not hurt or offended.
God created human sexuality, and the Family believes our members' love for one another is an expression or illustration of God's love for us. We consider actions carried out in love for one another lawful in God's eyes.
It is our understanding of Scripture that Mosaic prohibitions and traditions in this regard no longer apply to those saved in Christ, who operate under Jesus' Law of Love. "Love does no harm to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:10). Consequently, Family adults, be they single or married, are free to engage in loving sexual relationships with other consenting adult Family members, provided their actions are loving and with the agreement of others concerned.
We regard sex as an emotional and physical human need. Married Family members, if they choose, may interact sexually with adult singles within the Family because "the love of Christ constrains them" to help their brothers or sisters in need-those who do not have a companion. Single adults may also sexually interact with other consenting single adults, in order to fill this emotional and physical human need. Such giving is regarded as a sacrifice and is respected in the Family as being evidence of unselfish love.
Boundaries of the Law of Love
Although Family theology is liberal regarding sexuality, we also are cognizant of the need for strict boundaries to prevent any hurtful or abusive activities. As Paul wrote, "Everything is permissible-but not everything benefits. Everything is permissible-but not everything is constructive" (1 Corinthians 10:23). "For brethren, you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh" (Galatians 5:13 KJV).
When the Law of Love as a principle was originally introduced in the Family in 1974, though much was understood in theory about its biblical basis and potential for good, little was understood about the possible ramifications of its practice in regards to sexuality. Regrettably, there were cases where the Law of Love was not applied lovingly and unselfishly; this was not in line with David Berg's intent. Over the years, the Family has seen the need to adopt a series of rules and restrictions, which serve as safeguards to ensure that any sexual interaction between members is indeed ruled by the Law of Love. These rules, along with those pertaining to other spheres of life, were ultimately codified in the Family's Charter (78, 273-307).4
Family members recognize the need for such boundaries to balance the freedom of the Law of Love with the responsibility of rightly applying it, and they acknowledge that to step over these boundaries would be a sin. Any sexual relations must be entirely consensual and age-appropriate, with no party feeling pressured in any way to engage in activities against his or her personal wishes. The Love Charter ensures that any abusive actions will be dealt with immediately and can result in a member being expelled from our fellowship (234-35).
What About Adultery?
In presenting our views on the acceptability of sexual relations under the Law of Love between consenting adults, regardless of their marital status, the question inevitably arises, "What about adultery?"
In support of the view that such relations would be adulterous, some cite the biblical story of the woman who was caught in the act of committing adultery and brought by the religious leaders to Jesus with the intention that she be stoned to death. They said to Jesus: "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do You say?"
Jesus responded, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Convicted by their own consciences, one by one her accusers left. Jesus ultimately told the woman, "Go and sin no more" (John 8:4-11).
In commanding her to sin no more, the interpretation of some is that Jesus was in effect saying that adultery was a sin. We agree that it was a sin for her because she was under the Mosaic law and Jesus' fulfillment of the law by His death on the cross had not yet been accomplished. Nevertheless, Jesus superseded the Mosaic law, which condemned the woman to death by stoning, by saying she did not have to suffer that punishment: "Neither do I condemn you" (John 8:11).
Our position as believers is different from this woman's, however, because the New Testament makes it clear that as Christians saved by grace, we are no longer bound to the Mosaic law. Paul explained, "If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law" (Galatians 5:18). If we are acting in accordance with the guidelines and restrictions of the Law of Love in that "love does no harm to its neighbor" (Romans 13:10), then there is no sin.
In stating our beliefs above, it is not our intent to assert that adultery no longer exists in the world today, or that all Christians must preach and practice the sexual aspects of the Law of Love. We acknowledge that the world is rife with adultery. To not be classified as adultery, the act must fall within the guidelines of God's Law of Love, as previously stated, and one must have received Jesus' freedom from the Mosaic law by accepting His gift of salvation through grace.
Many spouses in secular society engage in furtive extramarital affairs, contrary to the desires or knowledge of their spouses. These relationships result in broken trust and hurt feelings, often destabilizing marriages and resulting in broken families. Such behavior is unacceptable in our fellowship, as it violates the basic principles of the Law of Love. Stepping outside of the stipulated boundaries of the Law of Love contravenes the Family's Charter (273-307). Although we are not bound to the Mosaic law, our sexual interaction with others must be carried out in accordance with Jesus' Law of Love and must not hurt or offend others. If the guidelines for married members having the willing consent of their spouses, hurting no one, and doing all things in love are not followed, then such behavior would be considered sin.
Responsible Relationships
It is to be expected that an intimate relationship may have physical and emotional consequences. The Love Charter establishes guidelines regarding the responsibilities of those involved in intimate relationships.
In 1998, Maria, David Berg's wife and successor, articulated specific guidelines regarding the responsibility of those involved should a pregnancy result. The purpose of these rules is to ensure that the single mother and child are properly cared for. In any situation that arises involving a child or children, no matter what the circumstances, the needs of the child are to be considered. If marriage is not possible or not desired, the Family's Charter establishes guidelines for the care of the pregnant mother and the newborn child. In most cases of an unplanned pregnancy, the marriage of the father and mother is considered the ideal.
God created and ordained the marriage union of man and woman. Marriage is even used to depict His relationship with the believers, where He is the husband and the believers are individually and collectively depicted as His bride. We believe that marriage is the optimum situation and the ideal relationship for the parenting of children and the forming of stable families (281-304).
The Law of Love-In Action
The Law of Love is the cornerstone of the Family's entire way of life. The essence of the Law of Love is having enough love to do to others what you would want them to do to you, and helping those in need, just as you would want them to help you in your need. Putting the Law of Love into action may entail helping others materially; showing encouragement, comfort or sympathy; going out of your way to assist another; or supporting each other morally, physically, or financially.
Our members are engaged in an ongoing effort to apply the Law of Love to their everyday lives. This is manifested in Family members actively pursuing their missionary work of spreading the life-giving message of hope and salvation found in God's Word. Family members also work to meet people's physical needs by devoting their time and talents to serving as volunteers in disaster relief, providing physical and spiritual comfort and assistance to the disadvantaged, performing at musical benefits, and engaging in other community projects. "For Christ's love compels us" (2 Corinthians 5:14) to do everything within our power to help those in need and bring God's words of comfort and hope to those in despair.
Conclusion
Jesus' commandment to love God and others should govern every aspect of a Christian's life. As is clear in the following passages from David Berg's writings, it is expected that love should be the main motivation for every action of Family members. At the heart of practicing the Law of Love is the consistent, sacrificial consideration of others.
Berg writes:
Let me emphasize here that the preeminent requisite for [Family members] must be the same driving passion which motivated the apostle Paul and all the apostles and all the martyrs and every great man or woman of God-in fact, that irresistible compassion which should motivate every child of God in everything you do, everything you say, everywhere you go, with everybody, and which that great apostle summed up in these few famous and ringing words which have cried out from the heart of every true Christian in every true good deed he has ever done, and for which indeed he is willing to die-"The love of Christ compels us" (2 Corinthians 5:14).
If we have real love, we can't face a needy situation without doing something about it. We must take action like the Good Samaritan did! (Luke 10:25-37). Compassion must be put into action. That's the difference between pity and compassion: Pity just feels sorry; compassion does something about it.
We must demonstrate our faith by our works, and love can seldom be proved without tangible manifestation in action. To say you love [people] and yet not try to help them physically in whatever way they may need-food, clothing, shelter, and so on-this is not love! True, the need for real love is a spiritual need, but it must be manifested physically in works-"faith which works by love!" (Galatians 5:6).
For "whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:17-18). ("Declaration," pars. 9-13)
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Footnotes
1 All Scripture quoted is from the New International Version of the Bible unless otherwise specified.
2 The Love Charter consists of two main components, "The Charter of Responsibilities and Rights" and "The Fundamental Family Rules." These outline the most important and basic principles, goals, and beliefs of our movement and codify its method of government.
3 See also "Christianity and Sex, Parts 1 and 2," in the Family's Christian Digest series.
4 Because our Fellowship is multinational and multicultural, Family guidelines for permitted age-appropriate sexual activity have been standardized according to the laws in the majority of countries where our members reside. Infraction of Family policies that protect minors from any form of abuse is categorically forbidden and grounds for excommunication. Members are expected to take into account the sensitivities of the cultures, in addition to the laws, of the particular nations in which they live (Charter xx, 94).
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Works Cited
Berg, David. "Amazing Grace." Good News Sep. 1984.
---. "Our Declaration of Love!" Good News Oct. 1977.
Family, The. "Christianity and Sex, Parts I,II." Christian Digest Vol.1, Issues 21-22; Bangkok: World Services, 1995.
---. Love Charter, The. Bangkok: World Services, 1998.
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What Is the Family International?
The Family International (formerly known as the Children of God) is a fellowship
of Christian communities with members in over 100 countries. Our current
membership numbers about 8,500 full-time members and 7,000 associates.
The Family has four main objectives:
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