Loving God's Commandments because They Correspond to Our True Nature and God-given Life in Baptism

"Additionally, the commandments must in no way be thought of as obligations-much less as prohibitions or taboos of a legalistic sort-but rather as “guardrails” that prevent whoever follows them from returnin to the pit of sin, and falling back into the spiritual illnesses, namely, the passions. St Symeon the New Theologian subtly points out that it's more a matter of being kept safe by the commandments than of keeping them oneself. Meanwhile, the commandments deserve their name, for the attitudes and behaviours they prescribe-if they correspond, as we shall see, to the deep and true nature of the man restored in them by baptism-are nevertheless not spontaneous, insofar as they contradict the predispositions of man’s fallen nature and environment:

"So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members." Romans 7:21-23

The commandments allow the baptized person not only to preserve the gifts received, but also to make them grow in him and to have the talents given him
by the Spirit bear fruit."

From Therapy of Spiritual Illnesses by Dr Jean Claude Larchet vol 2 page 115

This is so amazing! Perspective is really important. 

I have read the Commandments being  described as the medical therapy regiment for the soul. They are not just rules and regulations. 

I like Dr Larchet's description of them as guardrails preventing us from falling back in the pit of sin. 

I love this one, "it is more a matter of being kept safe by the commandments than of keeping them oneself"! 

The commandments "correspond to the deep and true nature of man"! 

They are not spontaneous and require our effort because they contradict our sinful disposition!

I think we need to keep our focus into these facts to be able to unlearn the legalism and judicial approach of western Christianity. 

With the correct approach, "loving the commandments" as sung by King David make all the sense.

"for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love."  Psalm 119:47 ESV

"Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold." - 

Psalm 119:127 ESV

"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome." - 

1 John 5:2-3 ESV