Love as a Law: Love is described as the substance of God’s law, not a reward to be earned. It is a commandment to love God and others unconditionally.
Parable of the Prodigal Son: Both sons in the parable misunderstand love as a reward. The younger son feels unworthy, while the elder son feels entitled. The father represents God’s unconditional love.
Perfectionism vs. Perfect Love: Perfectionism is seen as a backward approach to love, focusing on being lovable rather than loving perfectly. God’s perfect love is unconditional and not based on merit.
Righteous Judgment: True judgment is about how to love others, not about who deserves love. Love should be given freely, even to enemies.
Practical Application: The article encourages readers to stop treating love as a reward and start obeying it as a law, participating in the work of loving others without conditions.
For additional information see:https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/love-is-a-law-not-a-reward