Love is Nothing without Righteousness

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. " (Romans 14: 17)

I often wondered why "Love" is not mentioned in this list.

The Holy Spirit is ever supplying God's love to us:

"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5: 5)

This love is ever-present in the believer, yet spiritual things must be discerned by faith:

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11: 1)

This faith brings us righteousness:

"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:" (Romans 3: 23)

We need this right standing above all else:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6: 33)

In order for us to receive God's love, in order for God's love to be perfected in us, we must know and believe that this love has transformed us from dead in our trespasses to alive in Christ:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)

"As He is, so are we. . ." this is confirmed for us in Second Corinthians:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. " (2 Corinthians 5: 21)

If we do not receive this same standing before God, then we cannot receive all blessing with Him, so consumed will we be with our own sin. After Jesus blessed Peter with a catch of fish beyond his strength to take in:

"When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord." (Luke 5: 8)

God wants us to prosper as our soul prospers, yet our souls cannot prosper if we are still consumed with dead works, works to earn God's righteousness:

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9: 14)

The Eternal Spirit, the Holy Ghost, has purged our inner witness, our mind, from the excessive business of trying to please God. When we stop thinking that we "still have to do", then we can receive God's love without reserve. This rest is "righteousness".