1. As Understood in the History of the Church of God of Prophecy
Adrian L. Varlack Sr.
LAW OF FAITH, LAW OF LOVE

2. The Protestant Reformers
Our forefathers stated that the Protestant Reformers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries (Martin Luther, John Calvin, et al) chose the Law of Faith rather than the Law of Love. What did they mean by this?

3. JOHN WESLEY’S THEOLOGY
Richard G. Spurling, W. F. Bryant and A. J. Tomlinson accepted the basic theology of John Wesley which, unlike hyper-Calvinism (John Calvin’s theology ratcheted up—heightened—several notches by others) held that true biblical faith works by love (Galatians 5:6). Calvinism’s faith had no essential element of love. Wesley’s view of faith was linked to love and practical obedience. Faith was both knowledge and trust which must ensue in Love—love of God and love of neighbor.

4. JOHN WESLEY’S THEOLOGY
“To Wesley,” says Mildred Bangs Wynkoop, “faith was not an end in itself but the means to an end, namely, love. The whole of religion is love—not merely faith. The beginning of faith is the beginning of love…A faith which includes obedience and love, and is itself a dynamic and continuing response to God’s grace, leads to the engagement of the whole man in total love to God and total ethical involvement with others. This is “perfect love” or holiness.”

5. JOHN WESLEY’S THEOLOGY
“… Wesley’s deepest concern was for the outreach of love, which he related essentially to holiness. Holiness that withdrew from life was to Wesley not biblical holiness. Love could not be divorced from holiness because love to God and man was precisely what holiness is. Holiness must issue in the fruits [sic] of the Spirit.”

6. FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT Galatians 5: 22-23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace; longsuffering, gentleness, goodness; faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.

7. LOVE DESCRIBED JOY is LOVE’S music – its celebration, its song;
PEACE is LOVE’S quietness, its assurance, its restfulness;
LONGSUFFERING is LOVE’S patience, its patient attitude, its forbearance;
GENTLENESS is LOVE’S kindness, its tender touch;
GOODNESS is LOVE’S demeanor, its disposition to service;
FAITH is LOVE’S trust, its faithfulness, its fidelity;
MEEKNESS is LOVE’S humility, its grace;
TEMPERANCE is LOVE’S self-control, its self-discipline

8. 1 CORINTHIANS 13:13
“And now abides Faith, Hope, Love, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE” (I Corinthians 13:13, emphasis added).