Last 5 Days
Therefore, love.
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
We should love. That’s what John clearly stated in the beginning of this passage, that this was a message his audience have heard from the beginning. This command of love is not new.
John continues by giving his audience a picture of what ought not be done. We should not be like Cain, whose passions fuelled his jealousy and hatred and caused him to murder. And lest we say that we are not like Cain, John continues to say that it is not just a physical murder, but that if we hate other people, and if we do not love other people, then we too are murderers. Dear brothers and sisters, we, who are the children of God, are called to love one another. This commandment to love God and love men sets us apart from the world, where the self takes centerstage. Let us not be like those who hate, but be like Jesus who loves us so much that He laid down His life for us. Let us not hate others. Let us not be so devoid of love that we are no different from a murderer.
Instead, because Jesus had laid down His life for us, we too should lay down our lives for others. Because God’s love abides in us, because we love God, we should be willing to love others too. Our relationship with God, a relationship defined and sustained by Jesus Christ, is one that would produce the virtues of the Christian life. Hence, our ability to love God and love one another comes from our relationship with Jesus. Dear brothers and sisters, are you a follower of Christ? Then love.
John said that this outpour of love that God has commanded is not just in word or talk, but in action and in truth! Dear brothers and sisters, how can you show your love to others around you? What active steps can you take, so that the world may see that we offer true love?
Finally, dear brothers and sisters, loving others does not just show the world that we are able to love with godly love, which is active and concrete. Loving others also gives us the confidence that we are followers of Jesus and that our lives have been transformed by Jesus. “To love” is the commandment that God has given to those who abide in Him, therefore true godly love cannot take place unless we are followers of Christ and have a relationship with God. When we are able to love, our actions of love become a true outflow of our decision and willingness to follow Jesus.
Therefore, love.
