Sometimes your thoughts confuse me.

1.I do not see the point of your reference to 1 John 3:18. It does not take away the need to make love an essential. Do you want to clarify your intent?

2.Yes, verse 24 was a slip of the mouse.

3.I do not believe you know “what my issue is” and as a result, you believe I am confusing the issue. The issue I have is this: The obvious importance of love in the church is being neglected. Count the perdetage of times "the apostle who Jesus love" uses the word "love" in I John. Then compare that percentage of times with today's Christians literature. We have already seen it was left out of the who’s who list of essentials above. My study of the subject has show me that God “expects me” to see life through the lens of love 'all of the time'. Therefore “this is my story and this is my song” and I am not ashamed of it. Maybe, the short focus here will cause some to repent and begin to ask the important question: If God does His part, what part do I have to play to experience growth in love for God and man? There are good, better and best things that we can spend time on. When Martha complained to Jesus about good things that Mary was not doing, Jesus said “only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." I need to be like Mary!

4.I am confused by your question related to “Analogy of Faith". If your question is to say love is not an essential to salvation because it is not identical to faith, I believe John again can provide the proof in 1 John 3:14. It says, “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.”