Love of Christ
The term Love of Christ has two dimensions. It refers to the love that Christ has for each of us individually and collectively. It also refers to the love that we feel for Him.
The Love of God
Elder D. Todd Christofferson explained:
- Our Heavenly Father loves us profoundly and perfectly. In His love, He created a plan, a plan of redemption and happiness to open to us all the opportunities and joys we are willing to receive, up to and including all that He has and is. To achieve this, He was even willing to offer His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, as our Redeemer. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” His is a Father’s pure love—universal to all yet personal to each.
- Jesus Christ shares with the Father this same perfect love. When the Father first elaborated His great plan of happiness, He called for one to act as a Savior to redeem us—an essential part of that plan. Jesus volunteered, “Here am I, send me.” The Savior “doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him.[1]
The love that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ offer us includes their call to us to “come unto me,” which is repeated throughout scripture. (See, for example, Matthew 11:28; 19:14; 3 Nephi 12:20; Doctrine and Covenants 45:46.)
Our Love of God
The love of God gives us the opportunity to reciprocate. Elder Christofferson said, “Because They love you, They do not want to leave you “just as you are.” Because They love you, They want you to have joy and success. Because They love you, They want you to repent because that is the path to happiness. But it is your choice—They honor your agency. You must choose to love Them, to serve Them, to keep Their commandments. Then They can more abundantly bless you as well as love you.”[2]
- In acknowledging that God loves us perfectly, we each might ask, “How well do I love God? Can He rely on my love as I rely on His?”[3]
Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). “Indeed, His commandments are not grievous—just the opposite. They mark the path of healing, happiness, peace, and joy. Our Father and our Redeemer have blessed us with commandments, and in obeying Their commandments, we feel Their perfect love more fully and more profoundly.”[4]
Our Love of Others
To Simon, son of Jonas, He asked “lovest thou me? and then said, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:16). “Their principal expectation of us is that we also love. . . . As John wrote, ‘Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.’” (1 John 4:11).[5]
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “Because love is the great commandment, it ought to be at the center of all and everything we do in our own family, in our Church callings, and in our livelihood. Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk.
- When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align. Our walk as disciples of Christ becomes more joyful. Our lives take on new meaning. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father becomes more profound. Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden.[6]
Sources
- D. Todd Christofferson, “The Love of God,” October 2021 General Conference
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Love of God,” October 2009 General Conference
