...it
is well to be reminded of the fundamental truth that the basic
principle of the whole law is the love of God, as the Lord teaches us in
Matt. 22:37-40, in answer to a question by a lawyer: “Jesus saith unto
him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and
the prophets.” Although, therefore, there are two tables f the law, the
first dealing with our relation to God and the second with our relation
to our neighbor, yet the entire law is one. The second table is based
upon the first, and can never be separated from it. When the Lord
teaches us in Matt. 22:38 and 39 that the great commandment, concerning
the love of God, while the second commandment, concerning the love of
the neighbor, is like unto first, the meaning is, of course, that the
love of God is the principle of the whole law and that without it there
is no love of the neighbor possible. The latter is rooted in the love of
God. It is evident, therefore, that the law requires that we love the
neighbor or God’s sake. Only in this sense may we love the neighbor as
ourselves. Just as the law requires that we love ourselves for God’s
sake, so we must love the neighbor for His sake only. It is for God’s
sake that we must love the neighbor in His relation of authority over
us. And for His sake we must be obedient and submit to that authority.
For God’s sake we must love the neighbor in his person, and preserve his
life. For God’s sake we must love the neighbor in his marriage
relation, and not commit adultery. For God’s sake we must love the
neighbor in his earthly possessions. And for God’s sake we must love the
neighbor in his name. This we must remember, lest in treating the
second table of the law we preach to the church of Jesus Christ a code
of external precepts, which every man is able to fulfill.
This is a not uncommon error.
Preachers of the Word, when they proclaim this second table of the law,
not infrequently apply it to the world, to human society in general,
instead of to the church of Christ. In that case the preaching of the
law indeed becomes a matter of common grace, and the sermon becomes a
matter of so-called civic righteousness.
It is strictly necessary,
therefore, to maintain the principle that the second table of the law is
rooted in and based on the first. In the world there is, of course, a
certain outward morality, a certain external keeping of the second table
of the law in favorable circumstances. By natural light the world
understands very well that dissoluteness with regard to the law,
especially with respect to the second table of the law, leads to
self-destruction. They observe clearly that the keeping of the law is
profitable for them. Hence, although they often fail in this respect,
they make a desperate attempt to observe the precepts of the law,
although, of course, not from the principle of the love of God nor for
His sake. God is not in all their thoughts. But this is not the purpose
of the preaching of the law in the church of Jesus Christ. In the church
the law is proclaimed as a guide in the midst of a sinful world for a
life and walk of Christian gratitude to God. It is addressed to the
believer, and not to the world in general. And therefore, we must
remember from the outset that also the second table of the law is based
on the love of God.
Herman Hoeksema
The Triple Knowledge, III: 275-276
Herman Hoeksema
The Triple Knowledge, III: 275-276
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