The Law of Christ

Galatians 6:2 - “Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ (NLT).”

Many people have heard of the Law of Moses, or the Mosaic Law, the Law of God and natural law. But, few have pondered the thought of the law of Christ. What is the law of Christ? Although the law of Christ is partly defined in Galatians 6:2, there is more to it.

The law of Christ is not an official hand-written law that was handed down to an Apostle by Jesus Christ and copied on papyrus so it could be placed into a book for everyone to read and understand. The law of Christ is something has comes to the Christian as a result and benefit of knowing Christ himself; by a personal relationship.

In fact, the law of Christ is not even about being good, for the sake of being good. However, it is a response to the love we have been shown in Christ by helping others when they are in need. We are fully able to accomplish the law of Christ when our brothers and sisters in Christ are at their weakest point in life. How do we do that? I’ll tell you later, keep reading. But you might say, “I thought we were under the grace of God through Christ, why does there have to be “law” of Christ and why do we have to obey it?” In John 14:15 Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments (NLT).”

In Galatians 6:1, the great Apostle Paul says, “If another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path (NLT).” I love the way Paul expresses his admonition of those who think and act contrary to the law of Christ. He said, “If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself. You are really a nobody (Galatians 6:3).” Are you leaving the dirty work for those who are below you? In other words, if you think that are too good to help others, then you’re not carrying out the law of Christ.

Another example of expressing the outworking of love in Christ that is within us is found in 1 John 3:16-20 which states, “We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord, even if our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything (NLT).”

So, how do we carry out the law of Christ? We live up to the law of Christ by loving our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus told us how to do this by giving us a new commandment under His new law. In John 13:34 Jesus is talking to His disciples saying, “I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other (NLT).” When there is a commandment, there must be a law to place the commandment under. Just as the Ten Commandments are under the Mosaic Law, Jesus’ new commandment is under the law of Christ.

John repeats this new commandment of Christ in 1 John 2. John says that this new commandment is the same as it was since Christ gave it. He also says, “This commandment is true in Christ and is true among you, because the darkness is disappearing and the true light is already shining.” Are you a shining light or living in darkness?

In 1 John 2:9-11, John’s admonition is similar to Paul’s in whom he says, “If anyone says, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves other Christians is living in the light and does not cause anyone to stumble. Anyone who hates a Christian brother or sister is living and walking in darkness. Such a person is lost, having been blinded by the darkness (NLT).”

I don’t know how many times we need to be reminded about this but Jesus tells us again in John 15:12, “I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you (NLT).” Paul expounds on this in Ephesians 5:2 saying, “Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins (NLT).” John confirms Paul and Jesus in 1 John 3:23-24 saying, “This is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments live in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us (NLT).”

For some reason, Christians have been under the impression that our first greatest importance is to care for the outside unbelieving community before we help fellow believers. Sure, Christians are supposed to be a light unto the world and a city on a hill. We are the glory of Christ here on earth and we should have mercy on the poor, give food to the hungry, care for the homeless and preach the gospel to the lost. But, we should never neglect the body of Christ; the church should be first priority.

If you notice in these Scriptures that are mentioned, Jesus and Paul never refer to the people outside of the body of Christ when fulfilling the law of Christ. When you refuse to help a fellow Christian, you are refusing to help Christ himself. When you persecute a Christian, then you persecute Christ Himself. You fulfill the Law of Christ when you help Christians. Why? Because Jesus said, “As I have loved you,” “as Christ also hath loved us and hath given Himself for us (Jn. 13:34; 15:12; Eph. 5:2).” Who are “us” and “you?” It is the church; His church!

Did Jesus say, “I am giving you a new commandment: Love the unbelievers. Just as I have loved you, you should love your community?” No, we fulfill the law of Christ when we love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ; and yes, that includes all the crazy Christians that annoy you too! Even though we are many members, we are all a part of the same body and we are in need of each other; that is the body of Christ. Not one part of the body is any more important than the other.

Who was Paul talking to when he said, “Share each other’s troubles and problems?” Was he addressing the pagans, heathens and Baal worshippers? No, he wrote this letter to the church in Galatia; he wrote this to Christians. Was Jesus giving His new commandment to the unbelieving world or the Pharisees? No, He was addressing His disciples; those who followed Him. To who was John writing when he said, “This commandment is true in Christ and is true among you?” Was he writing to the atheistic Romans or his accusers? No, he was writing this letter to Christians, most likely those living in Ephesus. As a whole, who was the bible written to or for? Think about it.


There’s a neat little assessment that is found in the letter of 1 John that I would love to share with you. This test involves three key characteristics that would prove the genuineness of a person’s claim of being a Christian. They involve the tests of 1) belief 2) obedience and 3) love. These three tests are found in verses 1 John 4:2; 2:3 and 2:4, respectively.

The same assertions are mentioned adversely. The one who professes to be a Christian, but who cannot pass the test of belief (2:2) the test of obedience (1:6) and the test of love (4:20), is a liar. You may say, “Oh, you shouldn’t be calling people liars.“ Why not? Jesus did, Paul did and so did John. “If the shoe fits, wear it.“ At any rate, John ties all three of these trials together in 5:1-5, where he signifies that a profession of Christianity is false unless it is characterized by correct belief, godly obedience and brotherly love. The same criteria are valid for Christians today.
In case you desire to take this quiz and test yourself, I have listed the above verses mentioned in the test below, respectively. The verses are from the New Living Translation.

• 1 John 4:2 - “This is the way to find out if they have the Spirit of God: If a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ became a human being, that person has the Spirit of God.”
• 1 John 2:3 - “And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments.”
• 1 John 2:4 - “If someone says, “I belong to God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth.”
• 1 John 2:2 - “He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world.”
• 1 John 1:6 - “So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth.”
• 1 John 4:20 - “If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen?”
• 1 John 5:1-5 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and really, that isn’t difficult. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. 5 And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”