Love

I hope no one ever describes me a someone who “really loves the Lord.”

I hope instead I am described as someone Jesus loves dearly.

John the apostle understood this.

The disciples looked around at one another, wondering who on earth he was talking about. One of the disciples, the one Jesus loved dearly, was reclining against him, his head on his shoulder. 

John 13:23

“Peter boasted of His love for Jesus and ended up denying Him three times.

John boasted of Jesus’ love for Him and ended up reclining with Him at the table. ” - Chris Katzer

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  

1 John 4:10

Law and Gospel

Law (what God requires):

Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.  Lev 19:27
(One of 613 commandments in the Bible)

For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws.  James 2:10

Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. Galatians 3:19
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For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. Romans 3:20

But the fact of the matter is this: when we try to gain God’s blessing and salvation by keeping his laws we always end up under his anger, for we always fail to keep them. The only way we can keep from breaking laws is not to have any to break!  Romans 4:15

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Galatians 3:10

Gospel (what God provides):

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Galatians 3:13

So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. Galatians 3:24-25

For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.  Romans 10:4

"Law is to be called, and to be, anything that refers to what we are to do. On the other hand, the Gospel, or the Creed, is any doctrine or word of God which does not require works from us and does not command us to do something, but bids us simply accept as a gift the gracious forgiveness of our sins and everlasting bliss offered us." 

"Gospel is a word that promises blessing to those who are cursed, righteousness to the unrighteous, and life to the dead.
The Gospel does not require anything good that man must furnish: not a good heart, not a good disposition, no improvement of his condition, no godliness, no love either of God or men. It issues no orders, but changes a man. It plants love into his heart and makes him capable of all good works. It demands nothing, but it gives all."

-Walther, Law & Gospel: How To Read and Apply the Bible