10. If we show love only to those who show love to us, how are we better than those who make no profession of being followers of Christ? Matthew 5:46-47.
NOTE: ‘The highest human conception of love is to love because we are loved, or because the object of our love is lovable. But God loves the unlovely, and those who hate Him. “We also were aforetime foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Saviour, and His love toward man, appeared, not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to His mercy He saved us.” Titus 3:3,4, R.V. “If ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same?” Matthew 5:46.’ E. J. Waggoner: The Glad Tidings, page 215.
11. How were these principles already taught in Old Testament times? Leviticus 19:17-18.
NOTE: ‘Through Moses the Lord had said, “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart.... Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Leviticus 19:17, 18. The truths which Christ presented were the same that had been taught by the prophets, but they had become obscured through hardness of heart and love of sin. The Saviour’s words revealed to His hearers the fact that, while they were condemning others as transgressors, they were themselves equally guilty; for they were cherishing malice and hatred.’ Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, page 55.