Previously, the example of Enos was given to illustrate how he gained charity through God forgiving him of his sins. While Enos loved the Lamanites, he did not love them more than he loved himself. Enos would have expressed greater love by giving up his normal life and risking everything to go among the Lamanites on the outside chance some of them might listen, as Ammon and his brethren did. Love only becomes charity when it is unconditional, meaning that there are no limits placed on the amount of suffering of the individual compared to the benefit it will render to others. Non-charitable love is willing to sacrifice something on the altar. Whether the sacrifice be a dove or a bull, little or great, it is still limited to the convenience of the giver. Unconditional love has no limits. Everything is in play. A charitable person will not only sacrifice everything they have. Having sacrificed everything they have, they will also climb onto the altar and give themselves if it will benefit someone else.
It was this type of love that Jesus said was the greatest:
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
The Greek version of this verse conveys much more than the various English translations. It would be more correct to word this verse as:
The greatest love a man can render is to dedicate his life to the benefit of all mankind.
In order to pre-empt opposition to the use of “all mankind” in place of “his friends,” note that Jesus taught that a man’s neighbors included all people within a person’s potential influence (see Luke 10:25-42), and that you should love not just those that have the potential to benefit you, but more especially those who “hate” and “despitefully use you”—commonly known as “your enemies” (see Matthew 5:44).
Love is denominated in how much you are willing to suffer for the benefit of others. In this world, the greatest love you can show is to give everything that can be given in this life for the benefit of another. It is this sacrifice that Jesus made, not only terminating his life for our benefit, but living every day of his life previous to that event in perfect obedience to the Father.
It is this consummate love that Jesus commands us to have for others:
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. (John 15:12)
Jesus proved with his life that it is possible for a person to have this kind of love for all others, including their most bitter enemies:
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44)
His true servants have followed his example, and you can, too.
The entrance requirement to heaven is charity. To dwell in the fullness of God’s presence, one must also make their love unconditional, their sacrifice for others total and unrestrained.