WE find in Nave's Topical Bible, under the sub-heading "Love of man for man," reference to sixteen verses in the Old Testament and three hundred and seven in the New which urge upon mankind the necessity for loving, and which are in exemplification of the love of man for man. It has been truly said that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of Love.
Of the many verses referred to under this heading, none are more significant of the Principle of which Jesus taught, and none more helpful to his followers, than the ninth and twelfth verses of the fifteenth chapter of John's Gospel, and the thirtieth and thirty-first verses of the twelfth chapter of Mark "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. . . . This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." "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. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There b none other commandment greater than these."
The love that fulfils our Master's behest is not a sensual, selfish, sentimental, or ecstatic condition of mortal mind, nor is it so transcendental as to be beyond human comprehension. It is the reflection of divine Love, and is manifested in human love just as the Christ was manifested in the humanity of Jesus. This love is apparent in our experience only when human consciousness is so imbued with spiritual sense that it perceives somewhat of divine Love, infinite Principle, God. Without the capacity to reflect divine Love, humanity would be at the mercy of mortal mind, sin, sickness, death; without hope and without God. John said, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"
