And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. It seems very clear, doesn't it, that unless and until we have purposed to increase in love, our goals are far short of God's design for us. Love is nothing less than a complete summary of everything God requires of us. Love is the telling factor, the standard of judgment.
Love is the key.
It is preeminent, greater even than faith Paul says. It is at once the fulfillment of every last requirement God places upon us, the test of our religious activities, and the proof of the reality of our profession. Love, then, truly is the greatest. It is a perfect summary of all that is required of us. Everything we are and everything we profess is bound up right here.