Selfless, complete love
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Quoting Moroni 7:46-47, Elder Dallin H. Oaks said in his October 1984 general conference address that charity is the pure love of Christ, and that the Book of Mormon teaches that this virtue is "the greatest of all."
Elder Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve said, "The Apostle Paul affirmed and illustrated that truth in his great teaching about the reasons for service:" `Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. . . .
" `And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor . . . and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.' " (1 Cor. 13:1-3.)
Elder Oaks said, "We know from these inspired words that even the most extreme acts of service - such as giving all of our goods to feed the poor - profit us nothing unless our service is motivated by the pure love of Christ.
"If our service is to be most efficacious, it must be accomplished for the love of God and the love of His children. The Savior applied that principle in the Sermon on the Mount, in which He commanded us to love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us." (See Matt. 5:44.)
Elder Oaks said that the principle that service should be for the love of God and the love of fellowmen rather than for personal advantage or any other lesser motive is admittedly a high standard. "The Savior must have seen it so, since He joined His commandment for selfless and complete love directly with the ideal of perfection."
Elder Oaks quoted from modern revelation: " `Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.' (D&C 4:2.)
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Articles on this page may be used in conjunction with the Sunday School course of study on the New Testament, lesson No. 33.
Information compiled by Gerry Avant
Sources: April 1950, October 1978, and October 1984 general conference reports.
