Love One Another

1 John 4:7  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:8  The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

This is a passage full of love, written by the apostle who was called “the one who Jesus loved” – John.  A number of times in his first letter John calls on his readers to live the teaching of his Lord, echoing the very command that Jesus gave them:

John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Verse 35 always strikes me…this was the proof that someone was Christ’s disciple – if he loved as Jesus loved.  The love of God in the heart of a man, expressed to all men, everyone between a loved one to an enemy, was proof that someone was His disciple.  Not the knowledge of doctrine but the practice of doctrine.  Not the claim that one knew Christ, but the life that proved that one knew Him.  It is no wonder that John reminded his readers again and again.

The passage is full of love.  From the first word, “beloved”, to the last, love is there.  Christians were to live with this one command in their hearts – love one another.

Who are we to love?  Everyone between A to Z, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, the love of Christ should be expressed.  All in different ways, of course, but each one should be loved.  How should we love?  The Lord made it clear – “as I have loved you…”.  The Lord was not going to give a command that He Himself did not show us.  The command to love is founded on the believer having experienced the love of Christ for him.  Love is not something that God is requiring from everyone in the world.  But it is expected from those who were recipients of His gracious love, His unconditional love, poured out upon us in the cross of Jesus Christ.  This is why, if we are Jesus’ disciples, loving one another is expected.

THE SOURCE OF LOVE:  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God.  Love is from God.  True love is from God.  The world, with Satan behind it as usual, has twisted and perverted the expression of love.  The world has succeeded to fool many today concerning love.  From a cute emotion, to a fiery sexual lust, love today is expressed in so many ways contrary to what true love is.  If we want to know true love, God is always the answer.  He is the source of love.

And because God is the source of love, and Christians claim to be “of God”, then it is expected that we, too, share the same love that He showed us.

BORN AGAIN WITH LOVE.  And everyone who loves is born of God.  Everyone who loves as God loves has been born of God.  Love, true love, is not inborn in us.  We are born self-centered, selfish, thinking highly of ourselves.  When God brings new birth to a heart He changes that, bringing His love into us.  When He does that we are given the ability to love, through the changed heart that He has wrought.

TO LOVE IS TO KNOW GOD.  And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  Everyone who loves is someone who knows God.  Our knowledge of God shapes the life we live.  If we believe God is a faithful God, we will not always worry or be anxious about life.  If we believe God is sovereign, we will live knowing God is in control, and not trust in the government or in the economy.  If we believe God is love, then we will also love as He wants us to love, bearing with each other and forgiving each other, just as He did us.

Many claim to know God, but their actions contradict that knowledge.  As we get to know God’s love in His Word, and in our everyday life, that same love we share with others.  When we realize what wretched sinners we are, and yet God, in His grace, shows us His love through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, this breaks our heart, breaks our pride, and gives us the freedom to love others in the same way.  Everyone who loves knows God.

GOD IS LOVE.  1 John 4:8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God is love.  Love is not just a teaching of our Lord.  It is not just a command that He wants us to follow.  It is a life that He lived.  It is His character.  It is God.  God is love.

As we love, we are not just obeying a command, we are allowing God to reveal His life through each one of us.  We become His witnesses of this love.

Rom 13:9  The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Rom 13:10  Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.