asks us which of the commandments will he break who walks in love? "for love is the

fulfilling of the law" (13: 10). Though a man speak with the tongue of angels, possess a

faith that would remove mountains and be such a zealot for the faith as to give his body

to be burned, what is he without love? (I Cor. 13: 1-3).

While the apostle would have the saints "established in the faith" (Col. 2: 7), he would

also have them "rooted and grounded in love" (Eph. 3: 17). The believer is to forbear

"in love", speak the truth "in love", edify himself "in love" and walk "in love" in his

endeavour to walk worthy of the calling (Eph. 4: 2, 15, 16; 5: 2). Among the gifts with

which the believer has been endowed are "power . . . . . love and a sound mind"

(II Tim. 1: 7). When Paul urged Timothy to hold fast the form of sound words which he

had heard of him, he did not conclude without adding, "in faith and love which is in

Christ Jesus" (1: 13). He would not quarrel with any who saw in these words, that not

only did Paul himself receive the truth accompanied by "faith and love" (I Tim. 1: 14)--

and so present a direct contrast to the zeal and bigotry that made him a blasphemer, and a

persecutor and injurious, acting ignorantly in unbelief (I Tim. 1: 13)--but Timothy also

must "hold fast" this same precious doctrine, not with bigotry, not with a persecuting

zeal, not ignorantly, but "in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus".

It may be that some reader has expected a fuller analysis of the dreadful times that are

ahead of us, and is disappointed because we have not pursued the blasphemy,

incontinence and treachery of the last days with all their harrowing effects upon heart and

mind. We believe, however, that the judicious will realize that the time and space

occupied by the preceding exposition of the fundamental character of love is more than

justified, for it is just there that we are most vulnerable and where the best of us

breakdown. It is comparatively easy for some temperaments "to do all to the glory of

God". It is, alas, a loophole for the lax, to quote "give none offence" but it takes grace,

and grace abundant, to obey the scripture which makes the exhortation twofold: "Do all

to the glory of God, give none offence" (I Cor. 10: 31, 32). Perhaps the secret lies in the

closing words of this chapter, "not seeking mine own profit", for "love seeketh not her

own" (13: 5).

Returning to II Timothy we observe that this supremacy of love comes forward in

chapter four. The crown which the apostle had won because he had "kept the faith" was

also open to all who "love" the appearing of the Lord (II Tim. 4: 8). Not only so, but the

apostle continued: "Demas hath forsaken me, HAVING LOVED this present world"

(4: 10).

"Let us, therefore, suffer this exhortation, let us pray, let us serve, let us walk, let us

live, with love as our atmosphere, our attitude and our environment. This will not be

possible to the flesh, even the religious flesh of a genuine believer, it is the fruit of the

spirit, it grows in the soil of grace, and God alone gives the increase.

"Keep yourselves in the love of God" (Jude 21).

"Knit together in love" (Col. 2: 2).

"The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God" (II Thess. 3: 5).