LOVE by G. W. Perry

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 16, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 36.

LOVE

By G. W. Perry

Says Jesus, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” We often say with Peter, “Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.” How does he know that we love him?—“This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous.” “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” Jude 21. How shall we keep ourselves in the love of God?—Keep his commandments. We manifest our love to each other, and also to all men that we are his disciples, when we have love one to another. John 13:34, 35.

Therefore we conclude, with the apostle, that love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom. 13:8. This is not to say, however, that the law is done away; for that love is the fulfilling of the law in the sense of obeying the law. We could not love or obey anything that is done away or destroyed. Let all the people then say with Christ, “Blessed are they that do his [the Father's] commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:14.

The blessing is pronounced because we do, or obey. And we obey because we love. So the apostle says, “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.”

G. W. PERRY.

College View, Neb.