Love is the sum of True religion

“Love is the fulfillment of the law”. Romans 13:10

Now is not this love the fulfillment of the law—the sum of all inward and outward Christian righteousness? For it necessarily implies merciful affections and humbleness of mind (“love is not puffed up”), gentleness, meekness, long-suffering (“love is not provoked, but believes, hopes, endures all things”). And “love works no evil to his neighbor,” either by word or deed. It cannot willingly hurt or grieve anyone but is full of mercy and good works.

But true religion, that is a heart right toward God and man, implies happiness as well as holiness. For it is also “peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” What peace? The peace of God, which only God can give, and the world cannot take away. It is a supernatural sensation, a divine taste, of “the powers of the world to come” such as a person in his natural, unconverted state does not know.

It is a peace that banishes all doubt and painful uncertainty because the Spirit of God bears witness with the spirit of a Christian that he or she is a child of God. It banishes tormenting fear: the fear of the wrath of God, the fear of hell, the fear of a devil, and in particular, the fear of death. The one who has the peace of God desires as did the apostle Paul, if it be the will of God, “to depart and to be with Christ.” The soul wants to be in the presence of the One it loves.