Jesus teaches in the Parable of the Good Samaritan that one should ask whether one is a neighbor to another person rather than who qualifies as a neighbor. A Samaritan showed compassion to a wounded stranger by bandaging his wounds, transporting him to an inn, and paying for his care without regard for ancestry, appearance, or beliefs. Jesus instructs His listeners to go and do likewise. He also gives the Golden Rule to do to others what one would want done to oneself and defines the second great commandment as loving one's neighbor as oneself. Both the Father and Jesus Christ love all humanity and demonstrate this love through compassion and healing. The apostle Paul instructs believers to do good to all as opportunity allows but to give priority to those of the household of faith. Jesus bases part of His judgment on how His people treat their brethren, noting that whatever is done to the least of them is done to Him. Paul further encourages serving one another through love. Although human tendency favors helping only those who are similar, Jesus asks what reward comes from loving only those who love in return and charges His followers to be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect. Opportunities to do good should be taken when resources allow, yet priorities must place devotion to God and Jesus Christ first, followed by fellow members of the church, and then those outside who may become future brethren.

The law is substantially about our attitude toward God and our treatment of our brethren. The new commandment of the New Testament deals with loving our brethren, a major facet of the spirit of the law. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ explains the law's spiritual intent, that even our attitude toward a brother can provide a cause for repentance. Hate denotes active ill will in words and conduct, a persecuting spirit. According to Jesus Christ and the apostle John, even though no one ends up in the hospital, no blood is spilled, and no one loses his life, a murder has been committed. Those who have God's Spirit can take offense where none is intended and begin treating the offending brother differently. They have been known to become rude and insulting in speech, contemptuous, and perhaps even begin gossiping about him, ostracizing him from their circle of friends, and avoiding any kind of fellowship or hospitality toward him. When the attitude changed from friendly to snippy and worse, the brother who took offense became a murderer in God's eyes. God provides a solution. If one brings a gift to the altar and remembers that a brother has something against him, he must first be reconciled to his brother and then come and offer the gift. God will not accept the gift, which is left unoffered near the altar. A serious sin, murder, is in view here, and true, heartfelt repentance must take place before God will accept the gift. If those involved do not repent, the blood of Christ's sacrifice will not cover that sin. These kinds of sins, which we tend to take so lightly, are far more grave than many care to admit.

God calls individuals to reflect His love in dealings with each other and with those in the world. This love is an outgoing concern for fellow man that involves doing what is best for others rather than what they desire. Individuals ought to lay down their lives for the brethren and love one another in the church and out of the church in the same manner that God loves. Early Christians loved one another and were ready to die for one another. They visited one another during times of plague and risked their lives to preserve the lives of others. All will know that individuals are disciples if they have love for one another. Love is made perfect as it is actively used in relationships with others. A lack of love toward wives, husbands, or fellow workers shows that the love of God is absent. The second great commandment requires loving a neighbor as oneself. Any person who lives near constitutes a neighbor, including wives, husbands, children, friends, relatives, countrymen, and even enemies. Love for a neighbor means not injuring the neighbor physically, in property, or in reputation. It means seeking to do good, denying oneself if need be, and being tender, giving, and kind even when actions do not warrant it. Love does not condone sin but requires making others live up to what they should be doing. If God is truly loved then grudges or anger are not harbored toward others whom He has begotten. Individuals forgive others because they have been forgiven and forget offenses just as God forgets them. Above all things godly love must be put on.