1. The yoke and burden of the law before Christ
Justification is the action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God. According to the Scriptures, 'For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.' (Romans 3:20) Throughout the ages, the burdensome yoke of self-righteousness and legalistic law-keeping made justification so impossible.  Moreover, religious leaders even made it more impossible for followers of God to be justified by Him. The apostles once challenged the Pharisees, "So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?" (Acts 15:10). 

2. Jesus Christ offers a better way
Now Christ has truly set us free from this burden.  But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.  This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:21-24) Jesus promised His believers a better way to be justified by God: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28–30) "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." (I John 5:3) Jesus promised His 'way' is not burdensome.

3. The Law of Christ
Jesus told His disciples, " A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35) Paul encouraged his fellow disciples "Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law" (Galatians 5:1). Also, "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Galatians 5:13-14) Paul encourages us to "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2)  “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’  This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12: 29-31) – Christ Jesus.  The Law of Christ is Love. Through love we fulfill the law of Christ.  “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:8) Christ showed us the ultimate love. "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

4. How do we fulfill the Law of Christ? Have faith and trust in the Power of the Holy Spirit
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:5) "Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:5) The work of the Spirit in a believer is not because of the works of law but due to hearing the word of God by faith. Then faith and the Holy Spirit combine to bring about love. Scripture says that the Spirit works his miracles through faith, and this includes love. As we continually exercise faith, the Holy Spirit flows through that faith with love-producing power. Also, we begin to the bear the whole package of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)

5. How do we Love?
Jesus Himself showed us how to love by being the greatest example of love. Without regard for His own life He willingly went to the cross on our behalf. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). He encouraged us to "Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me" (1 John 15:4). We on our own cannot produce these qualities but the key is remaining in Christ and relying completely on the power of the Holy Spirit. Then we will begin to produce these characteristics of love: "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance (1 Cor 13:4-7). 

The law of Christ is a charge to believers to love 'our neighbors as ourselves' and to "share each other’s burdens'. Christ gave only one law, one commandment. The law of Christ is the law of LOVE. Will you obey him daily?

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