He who finds his heart not in harmony with this law of the New Covenant, love—mercy, kindness, gentleness, goodness—lacks the evidence or proof that he is in any sense of the word accepted as a son of God and a follower of Christ. If we have not love in our hearts for the brethren, and the love of gentleness and benevolence toward all men, and even toward the brute creation, we have not the spirit which will carry us through in making the sacrifices necessary under present conditions. It will only be a question of time with such when the power of pride or vainglory, holding them in the way of sacrifice, will snap asunder, and selfishness take full control.
We are not to look at God's law as consisting of isolated and unconnected streams, but as a great fountain, love, out of which all the streams of the Divine precepts flow. From this standpoint we can understand, since God's law is love, how breaking one of its precepts violates the whole law, as we can also see how a life of love is the fulfilment of the law.
Rom. 13:8, 9; Matt. 7:12; 22:38-40; Ex. 20:16; 23:4, 5; Deut. 22:1-4; Psa. 15:1-3; Prov. 3:28, 29; Jer. 22:13; Isa. 58:6-14; Zech. 8:16, 17; Luke 10:25-37; Rom. 15:2; Gal. 6:10; Heb. 13:3; Jas. 2:8.
