The greatest display of love found in the Bible is Christ’s death on the cross for the sins of His people. ( 1 John 3:16, Rom 5:8, Eph 5:2, Rev 1:5)
Likewise, throughout the Apostle Paul’s ministry, he risked his life to take the gospel to the lost around him. (2 Cor 11:23-28, Acts 14:19, 2 Cor 4:10-12). This risking of “life and limb” is a wonderful living display of the love that Paul held for the lost.
Because he upheld high standards, some denigrate the Apostle Paul, choosing to ignore Paul and pointing exclusively to the words of Jesus. What they choose forget is that Paul sought to imitate our Lord Jesus. That is, the Apostle Paul scrupulously copied the standards set by God. As a learned Pharisee, Paul had great familiarity with the Old Testament. As contemporary of Jesus and a persecutor of Christians, he had the opportunity to become intimately familiar with Jesus' teachings, at first rejecting them. Therefore, when he became a Christian, Paul was well prepared to become the New Testament writer who best explained Christian theology. And what is the theme that runs constant throughout Paul's writings? In humble submission to God's commands, we must strive to unselfishly love first God and then each other.
