Anyone who destroys this love destroys the community. Their freedom in Christ was real, but they were not to misuse their freedom. These are some of the final requests Paul made of them. He urged them to make a total commitment to holiness. Notice that Peter connected obeying the truth, purifying the soul, mutual love, the new birth, and the Word of God.
Love is the foundation of the Christian community.
The Christian community cannot exist without love. It cannot fail with love. Permission is granted to freely copy and distribute with text unchanged, including author's name.