The Pure Love of Christ

"What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 10:25).  Intended as a question to trap Jesus into a theological argument and debate, this question served as one of the most powerful teaching moments recorded in the bible.  Jesus answered simply, "What is written in the law?" (vs. 26).  The well read lawyer replied astutely, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself" (vs. 27).  Jesus concurred, replying, "this do, and thou shalt live" (vs. 28).  The lawyer was not ready to let this debate fizzle so quickly and prodded Jesus saying, "And who is my neighbor?" (vs. 29).  What follows is the parable of the good Samaritan.  It is so well known that a small child can recite it and know what it teaches.  There is symbolism inherit in the parable that can be understand on many levels (see The Good Samaritan: Forgotten Symbols).  What I would like to focus on is how the love required for eternal life is so much more than a feeling, it is a principle of action.

The lawyer knew what he needed to do, Jesus encouraged him by saying "this do."  The good Samaritan didn't just feel love for the beaten man on the road, he showed his love and compassion.  In ancient america, we read of a group of people who were led by a righteous king that taught them of Christ, many years before his coming.  They were so deeply touched by King Benjamin's teachings that they covenanted to be called by the name of Jesus and live accordingly.  The result of their actions was so profound that it is recorded that "there was no contention among all his people for the space of three years" (Mosiah 6:7).  Recently, my young son and I read that verse together and he commented, "wouldn't that be great if we had that in the United States?"  I answered, "Wouldn't that be great if we had that in our family?"  Later that night, in response to a sibling exchange I asked, "who here is trying to avoid contention?"  My son, remembering the verse, answered, "I am," and the issue instantly passed.  It struck me that the power of God's love through his word is so much more than making us feel good inside, it is the power to act and to change.  It is the force by which true conversion happens.

I have pondered in the past how it is that Jesus could have taken upon himself all of our sins and burdens in the atonement.  I don't know that I can say exactly how this happened but I feel strongly that the driving force that made it possible was God's love for each of us. It was by love that the Father sent his son unto the world for us (see John 3:16).  The Prophet Moroni defines this love as charity, calling it "the pure love of Christ" (Moroni 7:47).  He goes on to implore us to seek this divine gift, saying, "pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he has bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ" (vs. 48).  Profoundly he then explains that through this charity, "when He [Jesus] shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" (vs. 48).  The gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful not because of who we are but who we can become through the grace of our Lord.  As hearers of the word we turn our hearts to God.  As doers of the word, we change our behavior and beginning the conversion process.  As we incorporate the love of Jesus into every fiber of our being and turn our souls over to him, He completes our transformation, making us joint heirs with him in the kingdom of our Father (see Romans 8:17). This is the life that he offers us, the life more abundant (see John 10:10).  This is the miracle of Easter.