Many religious people embrace the idea of loving others as themselves but remain blissfully unaware of how the Bible defines love.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is [
a]born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8 NASB
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has [
d]for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 1 John 4:15-17 NASB
“Teacher, which
is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[
a] 38 This is
the first and great commandment. 39 And
the second
is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[
b] 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36:40 NKJV
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 NIV
It seems to me that Jesus is talking to those who break the "Royal Law" and those who are able to
tithe with their time, talent, and treasures
but do not. They believe they are Christians by intellectual knowledge, but their heart is far from Him. They will not do any of these things because God does not abide in them.
We learn in
John 2:23-25 NLT that many believed in Him but Jesus did not commit to them because He knew their hearts were far from Him.
Also read the story of the Seven sons of Sceva in Acts.