The Golden Rule, Part 2 | God’s Love is the Golden Rule

Luke 6:31

We find other versions of the golden rule in all the other major religions of the world. Hundreds of years before Christ, philosophers have been saying the same thing. In fact, that probably indicates, they say probably Christians, well meaning Christians who wrote down the Bible has nothing to do with what Jesus actually taught, but they wrote down the Bible, and they put this in Jesus’ mouth, because it would be good for their faith teacher to be like the other faith teachers and philosophers of the world, and so on and so forth. He just used to prop up his own teaching on an on ago. So they say, right?

I like to tell high school students, college students to be on their guard when professors try to diminish the uniqueness of Christianity by pointing out similarities in other religions and then suggesting the Christianity borrowed from other religions, for the things that seem similar. And first, I tell them to press that suggestion of borrowing, because it’s just as likely that those other religions borrowed from Christianity or ancient Judaism than that Christianity and, then the other way around, right?

Try to say, look, press them similarities do not prove borrowing. But second thing I tell them, that it’s okay to acknowledge when similarities exist but here’s the key, pay very close attention to dissimilarities, pay very close attention to differences. Think carefully about those. Keep this in mind, the very fact of the existence of some form of ethic of reciprocity, some form of principle of the golden rule in other religions in other philosophies, they’re not wrong about that point, that’s true. In fact, I was surprised at how far and wide and how ancient this principle actually is, virtually, the whole world is familiar with it.

As we look at the very earliest example, that we can find this golden rule principle, you know where it’s found? It’s written somewhere around 1400 BC. We find it in the Hebrew writings, Leviticus 19:18, “You shall not take vengeance, or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” How about that? We come full circle, and find that the principle is crystallized there in Leviticus 19:18. “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

That’s really what Jesus is doing here. He’s restating and reiterating and explaining and providing commentary on that most ancient ethic revealed by his father in the Law of Moses, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Why? What’s the motive for it? What’s the motive for that, Moses? Because, “I am the Lord,” just as Jesus says there in Luke 6:35-36. It is the holy love in the character of God that provides us with the reason and the motivation for loving other people, even our enemies.

Jesus in the first century, he is in direct continuity, and in complete and total harmony with that ancient Law of Moses given around 1400 BC. And because of that perfect consistency, and harmony, you’d have to say that if there is any borrowing going on among the religions, it’s the others borrowing from what God revealed, certainly not the other way around.

Or it could also be this, that the revelation of the principles of the divine Law, they are inscribed on every single human heart, aren’t they? As Paul wrote in Romans 2:14, “For when Gentiles, who do not have the written Law of God, by nature, when they by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have a written law. They show that the work of that written law is written on their hearts, while their consciences bear witness, their conflicting thoughts either accuse or excuse them.”

So, perhaps they learned it from the oral reports about Moses about Yahweh, about his revelation about his word, passed it along the trade routes or perhaps this just comes from the testimony of their own heart, their own mind, their own conscience. They knew that this is a high ethic, that this is how they should live. In either case, what they knew and appreciated, what they upheld as an ethical ideal, like all unbelieving systems of thought, all the world’s religions and philosophies, they fall so far short of the biblical ideal, written in Scripture.

So Jesus taught about the true nature of true love. He extended that expression of love to all defining the concept of neighbor to be anyone in need, including an enemy. He taught them about the remarkable endurance of love, which keeps on loving, even in the face of personal injury, even in the face of personal loss. And the excellence of Jesus’ summary statement is in its concision, in its clarity, its memorable simplicity, “And as you wish that others would do to you do so to them.” From Matthew’s account, he includes the rest, Matthew 7:12, we find out that that golden rule sums up all the law and the prophets.

After Jesus taught this sermon on the mount, summarized his teaching on love with a golden rule, we find different versions of that same principle, we find it proliferate around the world, I mean, it comes, it pops up everywhere from Shintoism, in Japan, to Islam in the Middle East, even the paganism of the Romans all universally acknowledged the excellence of this principle, in fact, the golden rule, you know why it’s called golden? It’s because the pagan Emperor Roman Emperor, Alexander Severus, who reigned from 222 to 235, he adopted this as his personal motto. He had Jesus words, inscribed in gold, hung up in his home, he posted this golden rule, now called the golden rule, because he inscribed it in gold and he posted it on public buildings throughout the city. Some say trying to unify all the diverse religions of Rome, others say he really believed it, really loved it.

The real question is, if this golden rule principle is so very golden, if it’s so universally recognized as excellent and praise worthy, even taught and promoted by all religions and philosophies of the world, then why isn’t it so universally practiced? This universally recognized golden rule, why is it not universally practiced? It’s universally admired, why not practiced with the same appreciation?

Martyn Lloyd-Jones put it this way, “People hear this golden rule and they praise it as marvelous and wonderful and as a perfect summary of a great and involved subject. But the tragedy is that after praising it they do not implement it and after all the Law was not meant to be praised, it was meant to be practiced. Our Lord did not preach the sermon on the mount in order that you and I might comment on it, but in order that we and I might carry it out.” That’s exactly right, why don’t people follow it? Why don’t people universally praising it, why don’t they universally follow it. Because first of all, as we’ve said from the very beginning, you must be born again. You have to be born again to put this into practiced.

Back to the context right, Jesus gives this summary to his disciples to those who have ears to hear, eyes to see, a regenerate heart to understand, the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to enable them to do this. Apart from the Spirit’s work in converting the soul, the golden rule is an unattainable maxim a principle that’s impossible and frustrating and it might as well be a dead piece of wood. Because of that, there’s an increasing number of former admirers of the golden rule principle who have decided it’s no longer tenable.

The golden rule is no longer practical and it should actually be abandoned. In the March 17^th, 2016 article written by a man, an author, named Peter Economy, he writes an article that says this, quote, the headline How the platinum rule trumps the golden rule every time. He writes about Dave Kerpin and his new book The Art of People which says that “following the golden rule is all wrong, instead what we should follow what he calls the platinum rule.” It gives his, quoting from him, says Kerpin, “We all grow up learning about the simplicity and power of the golden rule, ‘do unto others as you would want done to you,’ it’s a splendid concept except for one thing, everyone is different and the truth is that in many cases what you’d want done to you is different than what your partner, employee, customer, investor, wife or child would want done to him or her.” So Kerpin came up with the platinum rule, “Do unto others as they would want done to them.” Says Kerpin, “The golden rule, as great as it is, has limitations, since all people in all situations are different. When you follow the platinum rule however you can be sure that you’re actually doing what the other person wants done and assure yourself of a better outcome.” End quote.

That’s the point after all, find out what people want, give it to them so you can get what you want. We’re back to the same self-interest principle, aren’t we? In another article Tony Alessandra also commends this platinum rule, and he notes this as one of its chief benefits. Here’s the benefit of following the platinum rule, quote, “You do not have to change your personality. You do not have to roll over and submit to others. You simply have to understand what drives people and recognize your options for dealing with them.” End quote. Both authors, they have recognized what so many others have tried and failed at throughout history that Romans 8:7 says so well, “The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God for it does not submit to God’s Law, indeed it cannot.”

So many have misinterpreted the golden rule as some kind of ethic of reciprocity, do good to be treated analogously. Commentator Joel Green says “Others are to be treated lovingly, period. Without thought to reciprocating behavior.” It doesn’t work, it’s true it doesn’t work as an ethic of self-interest. Doing for others whatever seems best to the self, in order to benefit the self or doing for others what they want done to them so you can get whatever they’ve in their pockets and put it in your own pockets. As long as it’s interpreted that way it’s going to be an absolute failure, abysmal failure.

In fact, like all of God’s laws and rules, and precepts and principles, apart from the Holy Spirit all his laws and all his rules, what do they do? They condemn the sinner, don’t they? As Paul said Romans 3:19-20 “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law so that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For, by the works of the Law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the Law comes knowledge of sin.” The whole world, the whole world acknowledges the excellence of the golden rule.

And by that they are not justified, by that they are condemned. Because admiring it, they do not do it and not doing it they violate their conscience. They violate what they know they ought to do, but they do not do it. From east to west, priests and philosophers, sages and emperors, all mankind attest to the universal good of the golden rule. But they cannot keep it. Their minds attest to the truth of the rule but their sin natures, their sinful hearts, their sinful desires, their wants, their desires, their lusts, everything, everything battles against it. Their bent wills just cannot measure up, all fall short of the glory of God, right?

So like all God’s Laws, the golden rule likewise condemns men. Apart from regeneration, it merely condemns. And for these people, those who try to practice the golden rule but can’t, those who try to defang the golden rule, make it more palatable to themselves by saying it’s just simply a do no harm ethic, or those who try to say let’s replace it with the platinum rule, whatever the case. Rather than bow before God, acknowledging the truth of his Law, rather than bow in humility acknowledging their inability to keep his Law, crying out for his mercy, pleading for his Grace, they suppress the truth in unrighteousness, don’t they? They hold it down, and they condemn the golden rule, and they turn aside to a better, a new and improved platinum version, which accommodates their sinful self-interest.

But in order to keep the golden rule golden and in order to build upon the beauty of its truth. We have to build upon the bedrock foundation of regeneration and saving faith. Apart from regeneration and saving faith, you will not come to appreciate the beauty of the golden rule. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Trust in him, look to his saving work on the cross, and God will justify you by his grace, through faith. Paul continues in Romans and just after pronouncing universal condemnation by the Law he pronounces a universal way of salvation by faith. He says “But now, the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the Law, although the Law and prophets bear witness to it.” But it’s apart from the Law, it’s apart from you trying to muscle out obedience to the golden rule all on your own power. The righteousness of God, it comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. 

Once you are saved by faith in Christ, you know what? The indwelling Holy Spirit of God, he points us to Christ, to see in him our perfect example. And the really really good news, is that after salvation, after redemption, after escaping wrath, eternal wrath in eternal hell, we now can pursue obedience to the perfect law of God and find the glorious freedom, the joy, the deep rich profound joy of Christ, that he found in that obedience. We’re all mindful of Jesus’ rhetorical question Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and you do not do what I tell you.” We do not want to be like those who hear and don’t obey. We want to combine faith with doing, we want to combine hearing with obedience, so that we build our house upon solid rock. So, in the interest of putting the golden rule into practice, into practical use, which is what Jesus meant us to do with it. Not just to admire it, right? But to put it in to practice.

Let me give you some practical tips. Number one, well I guess I should say previous to number one, number point five, be ye therefore saved, be regenerate, put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If that’s not there, right, there’s no foundation to build on. Okay, so, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, point number one, right, point number one: Look to Christ. Look to Christ and particularly the heart level commitment that Jesus had to obey his Father’s will. You find statements of this everywhere in scripture. He said in John 5:30 “I seek not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” Again, in John 6:38 “I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

Like Jesus, and following after Jesus, we need to see doing God’s will as vital to us as the food we eat because Jesus did. John 4:34 “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” Is that how you think about your life, is that how you think about your days, your minutes? As accomplishing the will for which God left you on this earth. Accomplishing his purposes, there’s no greater joy. You were created for something better than shopping lists and laundry. For work, whatever the work is, there’s virtue in all that work isn’t there. But you’re created for something more. Our food is to do the will of the God who chose us, who redeemed us, who saved us, who adopted us as his own children, gave us of his Holy Spirit, and empowers us both to will and to do according to his good pleasure. That’s our roll.

So second, if you don’t find that spiritual influence strong within you, pray. Number one look to Christ, number two, pray. Ask God to quicken you by the Holy Spirit. Ask him to stir your heart. Ask him to fill you with a longing to obey him, to do his will. Just as Jesus prescribed in Luke 6:31, “Just as you wish,” as you will, as you desire, or want, “so do.” But you’re not going to go do if you don’t find the will and desire within you to do, right? If you find that lagging behind, if you find that cold, go to him in prayer.

We find the same pattern in Philippians 2:12-13 “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” When he says work it out he doesn’t mean go and put in more effort. It’s really like a mining metaphor to work down, dig down deep and pull to the outside, work out from the inside out, work out your salvation, that seed of truth and salvation that he planted within you bring that to the outside and do it with fear and trembling, that is, don’t be flippant about obedience. Why, because it’s God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. God by the Spirit gives us the will to do, and then the energy to do his good pleasure.

Third thing, number one, look to Christ, number two, pray, number three, keep in step with the Spirit. Keep in step with the Spirit. As he has revealed in the Word of God, that is walk in the Spirit not in the flesh. Galatians 5:17 says “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, these two are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Look you’re not going to practice the golden rule or any other law of Christ if you’re sowing to the flesh. Galatians 6:8 says “the one who,” sows in his own flesh or, “sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But the one who sows from the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Give yourselves to the will of God by walking in the Spirit. How?

Number four, saturate yourself in God’s Word. Saturate yourself in God’s Word. Find all your delight in him. We’re gonna wrap up in Psalm 37. You can turn there if you want to but right in the beginning of the Psalm it says this in verses 3-5, “Trust in the Lord and do good, dwell in the land, befriend faithfulness, delight yourself in the Lord, he will give you the desires of your heart.” How can he say that, that he’ll give you the desires of your heart? Because the more you delight yourself in him the more your desires change, the more your desires change, the more he delights to give you the desires of your heart; commit your way to the Lord, trust in him, he will act.

It starts by us trusting in God, which means faith in Jesus Christ. We’ve talked about that foundational point five step, right? Those who trust in him they look to him and walk with the Spirit he gave us, and when you delight in him when you know and do his will God gives you the desire, the will, the power to do his will to obey his Word. That is Psalm 37:6, “He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, your justice as the noon day.” God is gonna work within you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

And that’s how the golden rule, for us, is gonna go beyond a principle that’s admired by the whole world to a rule that’s practiced by Jesus’ true disciples. Loving our neighbor as ourselves, extending that definition of neighbor even to our enemies for the sake of Christ. This seems far, way far beyond us, but you know what it becomes attainable. Attainable reality and I’ll say this it becomes an obtainable reality of habit, the way we live our life if we’ll just obey. In fact as Jesus intended this is going to become a habit for us. “Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them for this is the Law and the prophets.” I like how Martyn Loyd-Jones puts this, encouraging us in obeying the Law of God he writes this. “All the detailed regulations given in the Law of the Old Testament what it tells you to do, for example, if you see your neighbor’s ox straying how you’re to bring it back to him or if you see anything going wrong in his farm how you’re inform it what wants and do your utmost to help him. All those laws are not just meant to lead you to say ‘The Law says that if I see my neighbor’s ox straying that I am to take it back therefore I am to do so.’ Not at all, it is rather that you must say to yourself this man is like myself. And it would be a grievous matter and a loss to him if he’s going to lose that ox. For he’s a man like myself and how grateful I would be someone returned my Ox to me, therefore I will do that for him. In other words,” Loyd-Jones says, “You’re to be interested in your neighbor. You’re to love him and to desire to help him and to be concerned about his happiness. The object of the Law is to bring us to that. And these detailed regulations are nothing but illustrations of that great central principal.” End quote.

Did you get that, the Law is not confinement; the Law is freedom. The principle is love your neighbor as yourself. Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. And what that is, is a summary statement of all the Law and the prophets. Every negative prohibition, every positive command, it’s all for your joy and freedom, beloved. I’m afraid in many churches today people are taught to despise the law as pharisaical legalism. That is a slander against the holy Word of God. Don’t ever say that.

Yes, the Law is meant to drive us to Christ because we can’t keep it. But once we come to Christ, we find within us a new nature. We find within us the living Holy Spirit who enables us now to love that Law, to understand it, to see its beauty, it’s excellence and its holiness and to put that into practice in our lives. That’s true freedom. As the psalmist said in the longest psalm in the Psalter “I will run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” True freedom is pursuing obedience to Christ in all that he commands. And taking this principle into mind, it’s about using your moral judgment not for your own self-protection but for your neighbor’s benefit. It’s learning to empathize with others.

And in light of Luke 6:27-30 particularly with anyone who might be oriented toward you as an enemy, the more you think about how you’d like to be treated in that situation, considering the dictates of love, we’ve already talked about. The more you act on that, regularly, habitually as a way of living your life, the more you’re going to grow in maturity in your moral judgment, the more effective you’re going to be in loving your neighbor as yourself. And all that just provokes more growth, more joy, more love, more joy in Christ like obedience.