The one supreme Scriptural demand upon man is, that he shall love. Jesus, the Christ, the anointed of God, when asked, "Which is the great commandment in the law?" in making his reply, began with these words: "Thou shalt love;" then he immediately stated the second which he said was like unto the first, and it began: "Thou shalt love." He concluded by saying, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
There are a great many things that we regard as duties; but they are all comprehended in a very few words, viz.: Thou shalt love God with all thy heart, mind, and soul: and thy neighbor as thyself.
No doubt nine out of ten, and perhaps ninety-nine out of a hundred, in thinking of this demand for love to our neighbor, do so with the impression that this requirement is made as a kindness or favor to our neighbor. That we are to love our neighbor for the neighbor's sake, when the fact is, we need to love our neighbor especially for our own sake. We are required to love God, but this is not because God needs to be loved by us, but because we most emphatically need to love.
