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Pacific Press Publishing Co. · New York · July 14, 1898

THE test of Christianity is love; not that which men may call love, but the love of God. Christianity means being like God in our disposition toward others.

But what is the love ‘of God? The Scripture says: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins;” and “God commendeth his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” John 4:10; Rom. 5:8.

As God loved those who were his enemies, so must Christians love their enemies. They must love all men and count all as their brethren.

But how is love of our enemies to be manifested? The answer is plain. If we are actuated by the spirit of God, our love for all men will be manifested in sacrificing for them even as God did. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on on him might not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

How then can the spirit of love—the love of God—be reconciled with the spirit of war? We cannot reconcile it. The spirit of love says that we should lay down our lives for our enemies. The spirit of war says that our enemies should lay down their lives for us.

The Christian warfare does not mean death to our enemies, but death to self. And if Christians are engaged in this warfare, they will not at the same time be engaged in any other.