As Christians, we sometimes try to assess how we or others are doing on the basis of such things as how successfully we/they conquer a particular sin, how much prayer and Bible study we/they do, how regularly we/they attend and give to church, and so forth. But rarely do we honestly ask the question that Scripture places at the center of everything: Are we growing in our capacity to love all people? Do we have an increasing love for our sisters and brothers in Christ as well as for those for whom Christ died who are yet outside the church? Are we increasing in our capacity to ascribe unsurpassable worth to people whom society judges to have no worth?
The definitive evidence that we are, in fact, abiding in Christ and participating in the perfect love of the triune God is our capacity to love – to fulfill the greatest two commandments:
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
If there is any distinguishing mark of the true disciple from a biblical perspective, this is it!
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12, ESV)
The point of all such teachings is that if we truly abide in Christ and love God, ourselves, and our neighbors as ourselves, we will fulfill everything else God requires of us.
As we overflow toward others with the same radical, Calvary-type love God gives to us, others are compelled to believe both that God is real and that he wants to pour this same love upon them.
Boyd, Gregory A. Repenting of Religion: Turning from Judgment to the Love of God (pp. 49-50, 52). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.