The Bottom Line

"God is love."

1 John 4:16. His nature, His law, is love. It ever has been; it ever will be. "The high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity," whose "ways are everlasting," changeth not. With Him "is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Isaiah 57:15; Habakkuk 3:6; James 1:17. -- PP.033

Five Areas in which We Are to Love God with All

Mark 12:30

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Deut. 6:5

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

DA 607

The lawyer approached Jesus with a direct question, "Which is the first commandment of all?" The answer of Christ is direct and forcible: "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." The second is like the first, said Christ; for it flows out of it, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

The first four of the Ten Commandments are summed up in the one great precept, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." The last six are included in the other, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Both these commandments are an expression of the principle of love. The first cannot be kept and the second broken, nor can the second be kept while the first is broken. When God has His rightful place on the throne of the heart, the right place will be given to our neighbor. We shall love him as ourselves. And only as we love God supremely is it possible to love our neighbor impartially.

And since all the commandments are summed up in love to God and man, it follows that not one precept can be broken without violating this principle. Thus Christ taught His hearers that the law of God is not so many separate precepts, some of which are of great importance, while others are of small importance and may with impunity be ignored. Our Lord presents the first four and the last six commandments as a divine whole, and teaches that love to God will be shown by obedience to all His commandments. -- DA 607

God’s Law Is to “Love The Lord... With All... And Thy Neighbor as Thyself”

These words he repeated with solemn earnestness; and then he turned and grasped a standard, and held it aloft. From this standard, in burning letters, clear and distinct, gleamed God's law. The Speaker declared: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." -- RH.1906-09-20

The Effect of God’s Law to Love With All

Finally the heavenly Visitant arose. So intent were those present on criticizing their brethren, that it was with reluctance that they gave him opportunity to speak. He declared that the spirit of criticism, of judging one another, is a source of weakness in the church to-day. Things are spoken that should never find utterance. Every one who by word of mouth places an obstruction in the way of a fellow Christian, has an account to settle with God.

With earnest solemnity the Speaker declared: "The church is made up of many minds, each of whom has an individuality. I gave my life in order that men and women, by divine grace, might blend in revealing a perfect pattern of my character, while at the same time retaining their individuality. No one has the right to disparage the individuality of any other human mind, by uttering words of criticism and fault-finding and condemnation."

As the light from the uplifted standard flashed upon these men in council, they shrank from it as if it were a burning flame. Some prostrated themselves; some turned and went away.

As I looked upon the scene, the names of the fault-finders appeared before them, and opposite each name were written out the faults of the erring one. None were free from defects of character. In the light of the uplifted standard, all were guilty.

-- RH.1906-09-20

The words “Thou Shalt Love The Lord... With All Thy Heart...Soul...Mind...Strength And... Thy Neighbor As Thyself” Are To Be Engraved on The Tables of The Heart. This Is Considered By The World To Be Extreme (Fanatical)

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." These words are to be engraved on the tablets of the heart. In the estimation of the world, it is going to extremes to love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves; but this is what God requires. He says to us, "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. . . . Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. . . . For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." -- RH.1902-09-02

The Principles of The Law of Love Were More Explicitly Stated to Man After The Fall, and Worded to Meet Man in His Fallen Condition

Satan is willing that every transgressor of God's law shall claim to be holy. This is what he himself is doing. He is satisfied when men rest their faith on spurious doctrines and religious enthusiasm; for he can use such persons to good purpose in deceiving souls. Everywhere his influence is manifest. Men are working against the divine precepts. In their desire to evade the cross-bearing attendant on obedience, even the churches are claiming that the law of God has been changed or abrogated. Men boast of wonderful progress and enlightenment; but the heavenly watchers see the earth filled with corruption and violence. with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." These two great principles embrace the first four commandments, showing the duty of man to God, and the last six, showing the duty of man to his fellow-man. The principles were more explicitly stated to man after the fall, and worded to meet the case of fallen intelligences. This was necessary in consequence of the minds of men being blinded by transgression. -- SW.1906-08-07

The Disciples Did Not Understand God’s Love Until After His Death, Resurrection, and Ascension

A High Standard "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." Luke 10:27. Just before He left His disciples to return to heaven, Christ declared: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." Here we see the standard lifted higher and still higher. "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:34, 35. The disciples could not then comprehend Christ's words; but after His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension they understood His love as never before. They had seen it expressed in His suffering in the garden, in the judgment hall, and in His death on the cross of Calvary. --8T 164

Our Love for God Depends on a Conception of His Goodness

It is essential to our eternal well-being to know more of God; for love to God depends on a conception of His goodness. His excellence, and a knowledge of His will. It requires an appreciation of His character. His law is the transcript of His character, and this law He calls upon us to obey... -- ST.1899-08-02

Love Is the Most Effectual Knowledge to be Obtained

In the early morning meetings I tried to present the paternal love and care of God for his children. The knowledge of God's love is the most effectual knowledge to obtain, that the character may be ennobled, refined, and elevated. Jesus is to be our pattern. The Lord has lessons of the greatest importance for us to learn. He leads us as children to take views of his goodness, mercy, and love, from the simple, lowly life of our dear Redeemer. Christ ever directed the minds of his disciples to God as to a loving Father. He educated his followers to look upon God with confidence and love. When we are overawed with the greatness and justice of God, we are pointed to Jesus, to his spotless character and his infinite love. There we see the Father revealed in the Son, for God is love. -- RH.1889-03-05

The Phrase: “God is Love” Has Been Shamefully Perverted

In giving his only begotten Son to die for sinners, God has manifested to fallen man love that is without a parallel. We have full faith in the scripture that says, "God is love;" and yet many have shamefully perverted this word, and have fallen into dangerous error because of a false interpretation of its meaning. God's holy law is the only standard by which we can estimate divine affection. If we do not accept the law of God as our standard, we set up a standard of our own. God has given us precious promises of his love, but we are not to ascribe to Jehovah a tenderness that will lead him to pass over guilt and wink at iniquity. -- RH.1890-06-17

Unselfish Love and Purity Are The Attributes Most Prized by Jesus

The attributes most prized by Jesus are unselfish love and purity. "Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." "If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." The entire law is fulfilled in him who loves God supremely and his neighbor as himself. This is the revelation of God through Jesus Christ to the world. It is Christianity-- glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will to men. The work Christianity is designed to achieve in the world is not to depreciate the law of God, not to detract from its sacred dignity in the slightest degree, but it is to write that law in the mind and heart. When the law of God is thus implanted in the soul of the believer, he is approaching eternal life through the merits of Jesus. "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." "I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." The object of the gospel is met when this great end is achieved. Its work from age to age is to unite the hearts of his followers in a spirit of universal brotherhood, through belief of the truth, and thus establish heaven's system of order and harmony in the family of God on earth, that they may be accounted worthy to become members of the royal family above. God, in his wisdom and mercy, tests men and women here, to see if they will obey his voice and respect his law, or rebel as Satan did. If they choose the side of Satan, putting his way above God's, it would not be safe to admit them into heaven; for they would cause another revolt against the government of God in the heavenly courts. He who fulfills the law in every respect, demonstrates that perfect obedience is possible. -- RH.1891-07-21

What Is The Bible Interpretation of God?

From Mrs. E. G. White, in letter to the editor . "What is the Bible interpretation of God? --God is love. By giving Christ to our world, God manifested His love for mankind. 'God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' Yes, everlasting life . This is the love which is the fulfilling of the law. Only he whose heart is filled with compassion for fallen man, who loves to a purpose , showing his love by the performance of Christlike deeds, will be able to endure the seeing of Him who is invisible. He only who loves his fellow men to a purpose can know God. He who loves not those for whom the Father has done so much, knows not God. This is the reason there is so little genuine vitality in our churches. Theology is valueless unless it is saturated with the love of Christ. – GH.1901-01-01 Also: SW.1901-01-01

How to Abound in The Love of God:

Shall all our devotional exercises consist in asking and receiving? Shall we be always thinking of our wants and never of the benefits we receive? Shall we be recipients of His mercies and never express our gratitude to God, never praise Him for what He has done for us? We do not pray any too much, but we are too sparing of giving thanks. If the loving-kindness of God called forth more thanksgiving and praise, we would have far more power in prayer. We would abound more and more in the love of God and have more bestowed to praise Him for. You who complain that God does not hear your prayers, change your present order and mingle praise with your petitions. When you consider His goodness and mercies you will find that He will consider your wants.