Essentially sin is the opposite of love; it is an expression of hatred and self-centeredness. If I truly love someone I am by default not going to steal from them, lie to them, gossip behind their backs, lust after their spouse, and the like. Love is not merely a giddy feeling with no demonstrable actions behind it. If I love, I will show it by the way I behave.

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18)

The law is so important because it shows us what love looks like in action and gives a clear picture of what it doesn’t look like. The ten commandments show a practical outline of how to love God and your neighbor. Love does not kill, lie, steal, covet, etc. If you claim to love God but do not obey His commandments you are deceived; true love manifests in actions that are in line with its character. This is why Jesus could sum up the law in two commandments, “love God and love your neighbor.” The reason being is that these two will cause us to keep the others, and in fact the others are all expressions of love or the opposite of it. He wasn’t just saying have a warm feeling about Me and the people around you and you’re keeping My law. Rather He was saying love will do everything in its power to seek the welfare and benefit of others above itself, it will cause you to avoid anything that causes your neighbor pain and torment simply because that is the nature of it. Warm feelings without the corresponding actions of love is nothing more than emotionalism. Authentic love as revealed in scripture obeys God, there is no if and’s or but’s about it.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love them and show Myself to them.” (John 14:15, 21)

Now understand that the law isn’t about God’s list of pet peeves, but rather it shows us what love does and doesn’t look like externally in our behavior and communication. God’s laws have nothing to do with killing your buzz. It has everything to do with giving you guidelines to live a happy healthy life. He put it into place for your benefit! If we see His commandments as legalistic irrelevant regulations, then we will miss the beauty of His design and will rebel and hurt ourselves in the process. Breaking His laws destroy us! Lying ruins relationships, destroys trust, and can even cost you your job. Getting drunk destroys your health, and can endanger many areas of your life. Pornography destroys your view of women, perverts your mind, and can seriously damage any present or future relationship with your spouse. His law isn’t about ruining your fun, it’s about protecting you from hurting, shaming, and destroying your life and others. His law is all about you! It’s for you, and for your joy!