Love One Another

We have all heard the Biblical principle: love one another. We know we should love one another but we do not always do it. Recently, I have been challenged about the importance of loving one another as Christians and, seeing as it is Valentines Day, I thought I would share a few simple thoughts on loving one another.

I searched where the actual phrase 'love one another' is found in the Bible and discovered it in John's gospel and John's epistles. Who was he? John was one of Jesus' twelve disciples and is known as the 'Apostle of Love'. What a wonderful title to be given!

John did not start out being known for his love. He did not start out showing love. He and his brother James were known as the 'sons of thunder' (Mark 3v17). They must have been loud, full of fiery zeal, sometimes displaying extreme reactions and perhaps even quick tempered. On one occasion when the Samaritans did not receive Jesus, James and John wanted to call fire down from heaven to consume the Samaritans (Luke 9v51-54). Another time, they were so filled with self importance that they asked for the two most prominent positions with Christ (Mark 10v35-37). 

However, John learned love in the school of Christ as he walked with Jesus, listened to Jesus teaching and as he followed Him, so much so, that John became known as 'the disciple whom Jesus loved' (John 13v23; 19v26-27; 20v2; 21v20-24). As we read his epistles, we realise that Christ's teaching and examples of love had so truly transformed him into the Apostle of Love.

I want to use the references for the phrase 'love one another' to help us understand some reasons why we should love one another.

1. Christ commands us to love one another

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13v34)

"These things I command you, that ye love one another." (John 15v17) 

John reiterates this commandment in his epistle. The impact of Christ's teaching had so gripped his life and soul that he exhorted fellow Christians to love one another in obedience to Christ's commandment. 

"And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." (1 John 3v23)

It is not just a good option to love others. Christ expects us to do it. He has commanded us to not only believe on Him but also to love one another. I am not referring to sexual love or ecumenical love. This is genuine love that cares for, helps, encourages and seeks no evil upon other Christians. Read 1 Corinthians 13, particularly verses 4-7, for a definition of godly love towards others. 

2. We must follow Christ's example

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." (John 15v12)

We are to love as Christ loved us. We can never love as much as Jesus loved but we are to follow His example. There is no greater love than HIS. His love is sacrificial love. Just think of what it meant for Him the Holy One to bear away your sin when He died on the cross at Calvary. His love is unconditional. There is nothing we can do to make Him love us or to love us more. 

Loving one another as Christ loved us means sacrificial love. This does not come easy, especially when we may not even particularly like a person or their way of getting on. I am not suggesting that you must allow yourself to be used or worn out. However, loving others will entail helping to lift up the fallen rather than kicking them when they are down and wounding them deeper. Genuine Christian love means following the principles outlined in 1 Corinthians 13.

3. Loving one another is evidence that we are Christ's disciples

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." (John 13v35)

May our love for other Christians be a sweet fragrance that will attract others to Christ. Being hard hearted, critical and judgmental towards others is not attractive. But sitting down and listening to the broken hearted, feeling their pain, showing that you care, even though you feel there is nothing else you can do but pray, will demonstrate to those around you that you are a child of God and that you follow Christ. 

Seriously, think about it: how can we expect sinners to turn to Christ as Saviour, if all they can see is Christians bickering and fighting amongst themselves? Do you honestly think that all your hard preaching will convince them to turn from their sin if they see more love in the world than in church? 

4. God is Love and Love is of God.

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1 John 4v7+8)

God loves us with an everlasting pure love. God's pure love ought to so permeate our souls that it just flows out of us to others. 

5. Loving one another is evidence that we are born of God and that we know God

"Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." (1 John 4v7)

Loving other Christians is evidence that we are born again and shows that we know God. People expect born again Christians to show love and be compassionate. If we truly know the Almighty Loving God as our Saviour people will see the love of God through us. Hateful, spiteful, envious words and deeds are not compatible with God's love. 

6. God's Love for us should compel us to love one another

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." (1 John 4v10+11)

By nature we were enemies of God and did not love God. Yet, God loved us and sent His Only begotten Son into this sin cursed world to die on the cross to save us from our sins. The Blessed Sinless Son of God was beaten, spat upon, mocked and nailed to a cross. As He hung upon the cross in agony He endured the full wrath of God for us. As we understand more of what it meant for Him to suffer in our stead, the depths of His sacrificial love ought to compel us to love others.

Christ's love caused Him to willingly endure God's wrath so that we could have forgiveness and peace with God. Consider how great His love is. Even in the midst of all His suffering on the cross, He took time to forgive others and to care for His mother when her heart was breaking. There is just no greater love but it should compel us to love one another. Yes, God's love should compel us to have a forgiving, loving, caring and gracious spirit.

7. God's Love is Perfected in us

"No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." (1 John 4v12)

We cannot see God but we can see the love of God lived out through loving, godly Christians. A mature Christian will be marked by love.

Read 1 John chapter 4 and discover some more beautiful truths about God's love and loving others.

Paul and Peter said Love One Another

I feel I cannot finish this blog post without mentioning the exhortations to love one another given by the Apostles Paul and Peter.

• Loving one another fulfils God's law

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." (Romans 13v8)

• Loving one another produces good relationships with others

"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another." (Romans 12v10)

"Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love." (Ephesians 4v1+2)

"By love serve one another." (Galatians 5v13)

• God makes our love for others to increase and abound

"And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you." (1 Thessalonians 3v12)

• God teaches us to love one another

"But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another." (1 Thessalonians 4v9)

God will teach us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ as we read and study His Word and through experiences in life.

• Have unfeigned love with a pure heart

"Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently." (1 Peter 1v22)

Unfeigned love means that it is genuine, sincere love. It is not a pretence. It is not fake. Note we are to love one another with a pure heart fervently. Our heart motives will be right. We will do it passionately. This is not an insincere love that pretends to love and care for you but behind your back they mock, laugh or gossip about you. Also, genuine love is not about receiving the praise of men.

Conclusion

There are many saints of God who are hurting and need genuine love. Yes, they may put a smile on their face and they may, even, sit beside you in church but inside they are broken. The heartache of bereavement, family troubles, health problems and perhaps even deep wounds by other Christians is weighing them down. They may even feel that no one cares or understands. They need love, not criticism.

I have written this post after being challenged from God's Word about loving one another and, also, by listening to some lovely Christian ladies open up about how they are hurting. 

I am not suggesting for one moment that we expel repentance from our preaching and dealings with others but I feel that sometimes keeping up appearances can be more important to us than loving our fellow Christians.

May these few thoughts be an encouragement to you to love one another as Christ loved us. Taking time to selflessly love fellow Christians will involve listening, caring, helping and praying. 

Let the love of Christ dwell in you richly and overflow to love one another.