redeemed with the blood of Christ, and is called to eternal salvation.
1. 'By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if yon have love one for another' (John xiii. 35). 2. 'Be ye, therefore, followers of God, as most dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath delivered Himself for us' (Eph. V. 1, 2). 3. 'Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? Why then doth every one of us despise his brother?' (Mai. ii. 10.)
19. What qualities must the love of our neighbor have?
It must be, 1. Sincere; 2. Disinterested; 3. General.
20. When is our love 'sincere'?
Our love is sincere when we love our neighbor, not in appearance, but as ourselves.
'My little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed, and in truth' (1 John iii. 18).
21. When do we love our neighbor as ourselves?
We love our neighbor as ourselves when we observe the command of Christ: 'All things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them' (Matt, vii. 12).
'See thou never do to another what thou wouldst hate to have done to thee by another' (Tob. iv. 16),
22. When is our love 'disinterested'?
Our love is disinterested when we do good to our neighbor for God's sake, and not that we may be praised or rewarded by men.
'When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind: and thou shalt be blessed, because they have not wherewith to make thee recompense; for recompense shall be made thee at the resurrection of the just' (Luke xiv. 13, 14).
23. When is our love 'general'?
Our love is general when we exclude no one from it, whether he be our friend or our enemy.
'For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? Do not even the publicans this? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? Do not also the heathens this? ' (Matt. V. 46, 47). — Example: The Good Samaritan (Luke X.).
