The Oxygen Of The Kingdom

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. --John 13:34-35

The oxygen of the Kingdom-love. I found that it is not one of the virtues of the Christian life-love is the Christian life. It is not one of the most important things-it is the one thing. The quality of eternal life that Jesus gives is love. It is the oxygen; there is no life without it. The only thing that will go through death and into the eternal is love. Love is the light of the new Kingdom. Listen to what John says: "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and every one who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8). When love is generated from the inside, it solves all kinds of problems. The fruit of the Spirit is love-as well as joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Love is not one of the elements of the Christian life- it is the element. Love is the life itself. Are you really aware of the importance of love? Only if you understand this can you be open to the Spirit. Love is the Christian life. Many other things such as gifts and worship are nice, but love is the life.
(from the book "Disciple" by Juan Carlos Ortiz)