Chapter 16—Brotherly Love
“By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love
one to another.” The more closely we resemble our Saviour in character,
the greater will be our love toward those for whom He died. Christians
who manifest a spirit of unselfish love for one another are bearing a
testimony for Christ which unbelievers can neither gainsay nor resist.
It is impossible to estimate the power of such an example. Nothing
will so successfully defeat the devices of Satan and his emissaries,
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nothing will so build up the Redeemer’s kingdom, as will the love of
Christ manifested by the members of the church. Peace and prosperity
can be enjoyed only as meekness and love are in active exercise.
In his First Epistle to the Corinthians the apostle Paul sets forth the
importance of that love which should be cherished by the followers of
Christ: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and
have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries,
and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove
mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow
all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,
and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”
No matter how high his profession, he whose heart is not imbued
with love for God and for his fellow men is not a disciple of Christ.
Though he should possess great faith, and even have power to work
miracles, yet without love his faith would be worthless. He might
display great liberality, but should he from some other motive than
genuine love bestow all his goods to feed the poor, the act would not
commend him to the favor of God. In his zeal he might even meet a
martyr’s death, yet if destitute of the gold of love he would be regarded
by God as a deluded enthusiast or an ambitious hypocrite.
The apostle proceeds to specify the fruits of love: “Charity suf-
fereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not.” The divine love ruling
in the heart exterminates pride and selfishness. “Charity vaunteth not
itself, is not puffed up.” The purest joy springs from the deepest humil-
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