If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3).
Without love, all "obedience" meaningless––your most profound sacrifices are reduced to empty gestures. There may be earthly benefits for another party, but no spiritual reward for you, no treasure stored in Heaven, no glory from God.
Men with miraculous powers gained nothing by using them to selfish ends. They could prophesy and speak in tongues well enough, but it amounted to clanging cymbals (1 Cor. 14:5, 17). Men can preach Christ eloquently, but still be lost (Phil. 1:17-18).
This is easily resolved, if one would truly give himself to God--love Him with a whole heart, withholding nothing (Matt. 22:37-38).
There is no amount of church-going one can do that will excuse withholding his heart from God. "The sacrifices of God are a BROKEN SPIRIT; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise" (Ps. 51:17).
Pile your life's savings into the collection plate, but God will not ignore your calloused heart. Until you give yourself to Him, your offering is abhorrent.
These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their HEART IS FAR from Me (Matt. 15:8).
You may be a fountain of Bible knowledge, you may be generous in giving, you may have suffered some very painful things, but if not done from love, you have gained nothing.
"All that matters is faith, expressed through love" (Gal. 5:6).