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The First Article of . . . Love

6/7/2020

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Picture
When I was a young boy in primary attending church in Placerville, California, I memorized the Articles of Faith. 

I wish we had the Articles of Love. ​

If the first Article of Faith is to believe in God, then the first Article of Love is to become like Him.

After all, the gospel of Jesus Christ is framed by a simple truth: “God is love” (1 John 4:8).  So . . . what are we?

The command to love others ("a new commandment I give unto you") gets interesting when the Savior said we are to love one another "as I have loved you" (John 13:34).  What kind of love is that?

My First Crush

Probably not the kind of love I felt for my first crush in the first grade.  There was a girl in my class at Latrobe Elementary named Elizabeth.  I liked her. 

My aunt sold Avon and I spent my entire life savings, $10.00 whole dollars, to buy a jar of perfume.  

I arrived at school before class started and left the perfume on Elizabeth's desk with a note saying, "Love, Timothy."  Yeah, I was never a smooth Romeo.

When she showed up and discovered her (unwanted) gift from a (not so secret) admirer, she chased me around the playground angrily.  She was fast, but I was faster. 

I don't think she ever spoke to me again.

Pure Love  

So what kind of love is Christ talking about?  What does it mean to love purely?  What is this "perfect love" (1 John 4:18)? 

          The Lord God
          hath given a commandment
          that all men
          should have charity,
          which charity is love. 

          And except
          they should have charity
          they were nothing.

(2 Ne. 26:30)

Seems like this commandment is pretty important.  
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  • Home
  • Poetry
    • Fleeing Egypt >
      • Tower of Babel
      • The Orchard
      • Tithing Settlement
      • Chastity for Churches
      • Sign
      • Cleaning House
      • Elijah
      • Rulers of Sodom
      • Beware
      • Two Churches
      • Beginning At My Sanctuary
      • Toll Road
      • Get it Strait
      • Corporation Sole
      • The Religion of the Circle R
      • Fig Tree
      • Eve
      • New Jerusalem
      • Shemlon's Shore
    • Ascending Sinai >
      • Ark
      • Sin of the Calf
      • An Idol Observation
      • Dew from Heaven
      • I love you, Elder Holland
      • Easter
      • How Sweet
      • Haiku
      • The Barn
      • Patron Saint
      • A Conversation with Brigham Young
      • Mine Testimony
      • The Meadow
      • The Gardens
      • Ice Fishing
      • Without End
      • Forest
      • Continental Divide
      • A Great Sacrifice
    • Promised Land >
      • Lanolin
      • Zion
      • Wisdom
      • Take Up Your Cross
      • Was the Sun the Same
      • Plain and Precious
      • Bridegroom
      • Faith
      • Amos
      • But First
      • Wax
      • Parable of the Piano
      • Repentance
      • Wake Up, Child
      • Cold Storage
      • Covered Wagon
      • Multiply and Replenish
      • Rollercoaster
      • The Baptist
    • Seven Stations of the Cross >
      • Jesus Condemned to Die >
        • Life Signs
        • Fashionable Religion
        • Tithing Declaration
        • A Pretty Important Detail
        • Jesus is All
        • Salt Lake Temple
        • Zion in the Lion's Den
        • High Noon
        • Bookmark
      • Jesus Stumbles and Falls >
        • Unveil
        • But Faith
        • Sifting
        • The Ballerina
        • Credit Declined
        • Prayer Circles
        • Work Out Your Salvation
        • Lovebirds
        • Unrequited
      • Simon of Cyrene Bears the Cross >
        • Proxy
        • Chartres
        • Like the Nile
        • Artificial Intelligence
        • Not Born
        • Parable of the Crossing
      • Women of Jerusalem Weep >
        • With A Price
        • Fields of Asphodel
        • Night
        • Desert Rose
        • Goodbye
        • Spring Snow
      • Jesus Stripped of His Garment >
        • Love Letter
        • I am disquieted
        • Dream
        • Noah's Wife
        • Parable of the Five Sons
        • Eggshell
      • Jesus Nailed to the Cross
      • Burial and Resurrection
  • Blog
    • Previous Posts >
      • 2025 Posts
      • 2024 Posts
      • 2023 Posts
      • 2022 Posts
      • 2021 Posts
      • 2020 Posts
  • About
  • Contact