Today's post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.
I mean, let's face it, some of you aren't very lovable. I'm even less so. As we learned last time, the Bible defines love as action. Things we do for those we love, or things we refrain from. If I'm going to do all the work to love you, there had better be a good reason. Otherwise, I might sit this one out.
So, why should I? Here's one reason: love is basic to Christianity. John 13:34-35 tells us that love of the brethren is a command from Christ. More than that, our love for each other is to be the identifier of His disciples. So, if Christ's followers are known by their love for each other, and I don't love my brethren, am I really a follower of Christ? Also, the Apostle John tells us that love for the brethren was one of the foundational commands of early Christianity. It was the "message heard from the beginning" (1 John 3:11) and "the commandment . . . heard from the beginning." (2 John 5-6) Paul tells us in Gal. 5:14 that love of the brethren has always been fundamental in being one of God's people. After all, the entire Law of Moses could be summed up by "love thy neighbor".
A second reason to love your brothers is that you cannot have a relationship with God without loving them. After all, "He that loves not, knows not God". (1 John 4:8) And "if a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen." (1 John 4:20) The only way to have a successful relationship with God is to love your brethren. In fact, love of the brethren almost defines a relationship with God. "if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us" (1 John 4:12)
Then there is the fact that to walk with Christ is to love the brethren. "This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you. . . Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you." (John 15:12,14) The command is to love, and to be His friends we must obey His command. In other words, you can't be a friend of Jesus' if you don't love the brethren. Also, the only way to know we are of the truth is to love one another (1 John 3:18-19).
So, love of the brethren is basic to the very concept of Christianity, is necessary to having relationships with either the Father or the Son, and is the only true way to know if I am of the truth. There is one other reason to love my brethren: to be ready for the judgment.
1 Pet. 4:7-8 "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer: above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves"
The end of all things is at hand and to prepare for it, then Peter tells us that "above all things" we should love one another. The most important thing I can do to get ready for judgment is to love my brethren. The MOST IMPORTANT thing I can do to get ready for judgment is to love my brethren.
Ok, ok, maybe I'll try to love you unlovable rascals.
1 Pet. 1:22 " . . . love one another from the heart fervently"
Lucas Ward
I mean, let's face it, some of you aren't very lovable. I'm even less so. As we learned last time, the Bible defines love as action. Things we do for those we love, or things we refrain from. If I'm going to do all the work to love you, there had better be a good reason. Otherwise, I might sit this one out.
So, why should I? Here's one reason: love is basic to Christianity. John 13:34-35 tells us that love of the brethren is a command from Christ. More than that, our love for each other is to be the identifier of His disciples. So, if Christ's followers are known by their love for each other, and I don't love my brethren, am I really a follower of Christ? Also, the Apostle John tells us that love for the brethren was one of the foundational commands of early Christianity. It was the "message heard from the beginning" (1 John 3:11) and "the commandment . . . heard from the beginning." (2 John 5-6) Paul tells us in Gal. 5:14 that love of the brethren has always been fundamental in being one of God's people. After all, the entire Law of Moses could be summed up by "love thy neighbor".
A second reason to love your brothers is that you cannot have a relationship with God without loving them. After all, "He that loves not, knows not God". (1 John 4:8) And "if a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen." (1 John 4:20) The only way to have a successful relationship with God is to love your brethren. In fact, love of the brethren almost defines a relationship with God. "if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us" (1 John 4:12)
Then there is the fact that to walk with Christ is to love the brethren. "This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you. . . Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you." (John 15:12,14) The command is to love, and to be His friends we must obey His command. In other words, you can't be a friend of Jesus' if you don't love the brethren. Also, the only way to know we are of the truth is to love one another (1 John 3:18-19).
So, love of the brethren is basic to the very concept of Christianity, is necessary to having relationships with either the Father or the Son, and is the only true way to know if I am of the truth. There is one other reason to love my brethren: to be ready for the judgment.
1 Pet. 4:7-8 "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer: above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves"
The end of all things is at hand and to prepare for it, then Peter tells us that "above all things" we should love one another. The most important thing I can do to get ready for judgment is to love my brethren. The MOST IMPORTANT thing I can do to get ready for judgment is to love my brethren.
Ok, ok, maybe I'll try to love you unlovable rascals.
1 Pet. 1:22 " . . . love one another from the heart fervently"
Lucas Ward
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