Flatlander Faith

All Scriptures teach and enjoin. . . that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength, and our neighbours as ourselves. On these two commandments, says Christ, hang all the law and the prophets.

Love is the total content of the Scripture. Everyone that loveth, says John, is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. And he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. Without this love, it is all vain, whatever we may know, judge, speak, do, or write. The property and fruit of love is meekness, kindness. Love is not envious, not crafty, not deceitful, not puffed up, not selfish. In short, where love is, there is a Christian. We are urged to love by the Scriptures and cannot be Christians without love.

-Menno Simons, 1556