Love One Another, As Jesus Loves Us
Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment. He commanded them to love one another. That was not new. The new commandment was to love each other, as He loved them. (John 3:34,35) That is radical, but it should be the one distinguishing characteristic of Christians that sets us apart from everyone else in the world.
Jesus went on to tell His disciples that if they loved in this way, all people would know they were His disciples. There is a simple reason for that. No one can love like Jesus, unless Jesus gives us the ability to love like Him by the Holy Spirit who lives in us. In other words, we must have supernatural love in order to love others like Jesus. Remember, Jesus loved the "world" so much that He died for the sins of the "whole world."(John 3:16; I John 2:2) Therefore, He loved those who hate Him so much that He died for them. Are we willing to give our lives for those who hate us or don't care about us? That is the love of Jesus Christ.
So the question is obvious, "Do other people know we are His disciples by our love?" If they see that supernatural love, they will be drawn to Jesus through us. If they fail to see the love of Jesus in us, they will be turned off.
Tomorrow, I intend to read John 14-16.
Jesus went on to tell His disciples that if they loved in this way, all people would know they were His disciples. There is a simple reason for that. No one can love like Jesus, unless Jesus gives us the ability to love like Him by the Holy Spirit who lives in us. In other words, we must have supernatural love in order to love others like Jesus. Remember, Jesus loved the "world" so much that He died for the sins of the "whole world."(John 3:16; I John 2:2) Therefore, He loved those who hate Him so much that He died for them. Are we willing to give our lives for those who hate us or don't care about us? That is the love of Jesus Christ.
So the question is obvious, "Do other people know we are His disciples by our love?" If they see that supernatural love, they will be drawn to Jesus through us. If they fail to see the love of Jesus in us, they will be turned off.
Tomorrow, I intend to read John 14-16.