Love One Another
Thank you for reading the post today. The Lord has given us a number of commands which we are to follow. Today we are going to look at what He says regarding the necessity of our loving one another. It is a command, not a suggestion! Eric
Since the creation of the earth and mankind, though man sinned and rebelled, God still loves and desires to save them from the kingdom of death and darkness. From the beginning of human history, God promised a Savior for mankind.
We see this truth, when reading in Genesis 3:15, that immediately after Adam disobeyed God, the Lord spoke to the serpent (devil) and set His redemptive plan in motion. He stated that he had a plan and promised the recovery of man’s lost estate. He stated, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed (Jesus); He shall bruise your head (most specifically - the Lord Jesus has trampled satan at the cross), and you shall bruise His heel.
There is a consistent theme and promise of redemption that we see running throughout the Bible. Without shed blood, forgiveness is not possible. (Hebrews 9:22). “The purpose of the Old Testament is to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ in God’s great Plan of Redemption.” (Richard Booker).
Saint Augustine stated, “The New is in the Old Testament contained, but the Old is by the New explained.” He is also attributed to have said, “The New is in the Old Concealed, the Old is in the new Revealed.”
“The Blood Covenant is a part of the common thread that runs throughout both Testaments and is a Covenant established in His blood. God’s plan was that man always be clothed with the Glory of God, and he once was. After the fall, the clothing was lost and for the first time, a man was truly naked before God. God shed His blood in order to provide a covering for Adam and Eve. (CompellingTruth.org).
“Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross serves as the ultimate fulfillment of the Old Testament sacrificial system and the Passover story.” (biblejournalclasses.com).
Earlier, I stated that the blood covenant is ‘a part’of the common thread running throughout the Old and New Testaments. However, we will not see the whole picture until we understand the motivation for the blood Covenant. Why would God send His Son to be the Sacrificial Lamb needed to reconcile an evil, sinful and rebellious people to Himself?
In 1 Peter 1:18 and 19, the apostle Peter penned that “we were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Then, we read in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
It was love for His creation (you and me) that caused God to establish the Blood Covenant for us. With us created as eternal beings, we find that His desire is that we spend eternity with Him.
The Greek word used for ‘loved’ in John 3:16 (God so loved the world ) is agape. Wikipedia defines ‘agape’ well. It states, “agape is the highest form of love, charity, and the love of God for (human beings) and of (human beings) for God. It is used in Christian, Jewish, and other contexts to describe a selfless, sacrificial and universal love that transcends circumstances.”
1 John 4:14-16, “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” ‘Know’ ginosko means to know and understand the love of God. ‘Rely’ (‘believe’ in the New King James Version) means to believe and embrace.
1 John 4:19 reveals, “We love because he first loved us.” It is important for us to realize that not only did He initiate that love, but “all human love is preceded and generated by the love of God,” (Vincent’s Word Studies). Wow! Our ability to love, at all, originated because of God’s love!
Romans 5:8 reveals that while we were still sinners Christ, demonstrating the love of God for us, died for us. See, He didn’t demand perfection from us before He loved us. He loved us with all of our shortcomings, weaknesses, flaws and failings!
Now, look at the commandment (not a suggestion) we are given in John 15:12, “My command is this; love each other as I have loved you.” This means we must love others who are imperfect. We are to love them in spite of all of their shortcomings, weaknesses, flaws and failings.
1 John 4:20 and 21 very plainly reveals that if we claim to love Him, we must love one another!
Earlier, we stated, in defining ‘love,’ that God’s love is sacrificial and is extended no matter what the circumstances. In 1 Corinthians 13 we are given a clear picture of His love and of how our attitudes, behavior, and actions should look like as we love others with his love, which is in us.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (Amplified), "Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. 5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. 8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends].”
How do you measure up? If you are like me, you will see areas where you fall short and need to see improvement.
As children of God we are expected to totally live by and obey God’s Word and Commandments. That is why it is so vital that we spend time reading and studying the Word of God. That is why it is also vitally important that we spend time fellowshipping and in prayer with the Father.
Jesus taught that we are to love even our enemies and those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44); that we are to love as He loved us (John 15:12); that we are to lay down our lives for others, as Jesus did for us; and that we are to meet one another’s needs, thus showing our love in action, rather than simply ‘saying’ that we love them.
Oftentimes, some of these commands are hard. However, they can become easier for us when we realize that it is through the reality and example of His love, which has been poured out on us that we are able to love!
Our motivation for all that we do has to be the agape love of God in us.
Why do I say that?
We look again at the Love Chapter, 1 Corinthians 13. According to verse 1, without love I become only a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal, or just an annoying distraction. Verse 2 reveals that even if we can prophecy, understand all mysteries, possess all knowledge and have sufficient faith to move mountains, but do not have love - we are nothing. Then, in verse 3 we learn that if we give all of our possessions to feed the poor, or even if we become a martyr, but do not have love, it profits us nothing!
I will end today’s post with this prayer for you… “May the Lord cause you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another, and for all people.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12a).
Scripture references were taken from the New International Version, unless otherwise stated.