The Bible clearly states that no one has seen God at any time. Yet, through scripture and our experience as believers, we understand that God is love. Jesus Christ, the undeniable demonstration of God’s love for us (see John 3:16), issued a clear command that the unmistakable evidence of our love for God is to love one another.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35 NKJV
In the old covenant, God gave the Ten Commandments through Moses. Upon careful examination, two distinct commands emerge: Love for God and Love for Mankind.
When questioned by a lawyer about the greatest commandment in the Law, Jesus’s response underscores that the entirety of the law and the prophets hinges on our Love for God and Love for Mankind.
Love for God: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
Love for our neighbour: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ – Matthew 22:35-40 NASB1995
In another exchange between Jesus and a lawyer recorded in the book of Luke (Luke 10:30-37), the same answer surfaces, this time linked to eternal life.
In essence, Jesus proclaims that to attain eternal life, one must Love God and Love their neighbour.
He further clarifies the question of “who is my neighbour.”
Who is your neighbour?
Jesus responds with the famous parable of The Good Samaritan.
Someone got attacked by robbers and was left to die on the road.
A priest and a religious leader walked by without helping, but a Samaritan, of a different group, stopped, took care of him, and paid for his recovery.
Jesus asked who was the real neighbour, and the answer was the Samaritan because he showed kindness. Jesus told everyone to do the same.
A harsh reality
Cain and Abel, brothers, both made offerings to the Lord – Abel’s offering was accepted, but Cain’s was not. This rejection fueled Cain’s anger. Despite God’s warning about the consequences of his anger, Cain proceeded to murder his brother Abel out of hatred and anger (Genesis 4:3-8).
The direct opposite of Love is Hate. Hatred led to murder.
1 John 3:15 bluntly states: “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.“ – 1 John 3:15 NASB1995
Loving one another as believers is a command we cannot ignore.
Be Perfect in Love – Love even your enemies
In one of His sermons on the mount, Jesus emphasises that we are to love even our enemies.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;
for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.“ – Matthew 5:43-48 NASB1995
“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the Lord will reward you.“ – Proverbs 25:21-22 NASB1995
Love in Deeds and not words only
“…whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.“ 1 John 3:17-18 NASB1995
Jesus, in describing the judgement in the last day, uses an analogy of separating Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25:31-46.
This is a summary of the text:
When the Son of Man returns, He’ll gather all people and separate them, like a shepherd separating sheep from goats. The ones who helped others in need will be blessed and welcomed into God’s kingdom because they helped Him when He was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, sick, or in prison. But those who didn’t help will face punishment because they ignored Him when He needed help.
Love was a key determinant of whether you inherit eternal life or eternal punishment.
Some key acts of love from the passage include:
– Feeding the hungry
– Giving water to the thirsty
– Welcoming strangers
– Clothing the naked
– Visiting the sick
– Visiting those in prison.
Though these acts of love are directed towards a brother or sister, they are ultimately done unto the Lord.
Both the righteous and the unrighteous pondered how they showed or did not show such love to Christ, the King.
The King answered, “…‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ …, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’“ – Matthew 25:40, 45 NASB1995
Conclusion
In conclusion, beloved believers, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Beloved believers, let us heed the clarion call to love one another, not merely in word but in deed.
For in the crucible of love, we discover the essence of our faith, the quintessence of our existence. As we journey forth, may the boundless love of God illuminate our path, guiding us to embrace one another with hearts aglow with compassion.