When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they developed a conscience which is handed down to all their descendants. We are all born with this conscience and are therefore under the law to do good and refrain from evil. When God gave Moses the commandments, it was the specifics of the law to " do good and refrain from evil ". We are not capable of obeying this law and therefore are cursed to destruction. But God in His mercy and love provides a way for salvation through Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and perfection through the power of the Fathers Holy Spirit. Christ's laws of loving God with all your heart, mind, and soul and your neighbors as yourself can only be accomplished when the Holy Spirit fills your heart with that same love shared by the Father and Christ. When we follow the Spirit of the Law, all our thoughts and actions are motivated by that same love and we follow the original law to " do good and refrain from evil.
It's so simple, but people who don't get it make it complicated.
Spirit of the Law versus Letter of the Law
Rom 9: 31-32 But Israel, who followed after the Law of righteousness, hath not attained to the Law of righteousness. Why? Because they sought it not by faith but, as it were, by the works of the Law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.
Rom 10: 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10: 1-4 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness , and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.
1 John 2: 3-7 And by this we know that we know HIm, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whosoever keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected; by this know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
1 John 2: 8-11 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not where he goeth, because darkness hath blinded his eyes.
John 15: 8-14 In this is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatever I command you.
John 15: 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, exceptit abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Gal 5: 13-14 For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the Law is fulfilled in one word, even (that is) in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Gal 5: 16 This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5: 18 But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the Law.
Matt 7: 21 Not everyone that saith unto me , Lord, Lord shall enter the KIngdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, who is in heaven.
Eph 2: 15 Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even (that is) the Law of Commandments contained in ordinances, to make in Himself of two one new man, so making peace.
Rom 7: 6 But now we are delivered from the Law, that being dead in which we were held, that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
John 14: 23 Jesus answered , and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Gal 5: 5-6 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision , but faith which worketh by Love.
Matt 7: 12 Therefore, all things whatever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the Law and the prophets.