“A new commandment I give to you” #1798

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34–35, NKJV)

God had commanded the children of Israel to love one another (Lev. 19:18). But Jesus commands a new (“fresh”) love, new in quality and nature, defined and exemplified by His love for His disciples. Christ’s love is always and ever active goodwill – complete, sacrificial, and unselfish. His love was not seen before, namely, the sinless Son of God giving His life for the redemption of sinners (John 15:13; Rom. 5:8). Christ “loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:25-26). Disciples of Jesus are commanded to love one another as He has loved us. We follow His command to love because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts (Rom. 5:5-8). Christ’s love is merciful and just, forgiving and forbearing, serving and sacrificial (Eph. 4:32-5:2; Phil. 2:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:18-25). God’s great love toward us in Christ compels us to imitate the Son’s love: “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:10-11). People will know we are disciples of Jesus when we love each other like Jesus loved us. So the question is, do people know we are disciples of Jesus when they see how we treat each other?

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Not Peace, but a Sword #1768

21 “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:21–22, NKJV)

Jesus spoke these words to His twelve apostles before sending them out to preach “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:6-7). After His resurrection, He would send them into all the world to preach His gospel (Mk. 16:15). Jesus was preparing them for the resistance they would face because of their faith in Him and their work for Him. The gospel produced harsh reactions from faithless family and friends as well as strangers in the first century. (It still does.) Their lives would be endangered and embroiled in controversy. Jesus exhorted them to endure the hatred and persecutions “to the end” to be saved. This helps us understand what Jesus went on to say, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matt. 10:34, 35-36). Many react to the truth of the gospel with hostility, including family members. Just as He called the apostles to endure, He calls us to love Him more, follow His truth first, deny ourselves, and always fear God rather than people (Matt. 10:37-39, 28). When we choose family (or ourselves) over the truth of the gospel we are no longer worthy of Christ. We will lose our life, not save it (Matt. 10:37-39).

“Do Not Marvel” #1755

Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. (1 John 3:13, NKJV)

Jesus had told His apostles to expect the hatred of the world (John 15:19). The world loves its own, and hates the light that exposes its sins (Jno. 3:19-20). This comes as no surprise. Jesus is the light of the world; therefore, the world hates Him (and His Father) most of all (Jno. 15:18, 23-25). When we become Christians, we leave the dark world of sin to live as “children of light” and to walk in the light of truth (Eph. 5:8; 1 Jno. 1:6-7). Therefore, the world hates us, too. Note the irony. Jesus was not hated because He was a great sinner (“Which of you convicts Me of sin?,” Jno. 8:46; 1 Pet. 2:22). He was hated “without a cause” (Jno. 15:25). When people in the religious error and moral corruption of the world hate you for following Jesus and His truth, accept your cross and bear it for His sake (Lk. 9:23). Do not marvel. Their hatred is par for the course. Do not be distracted by the world from practicing righteousness and loving one another (1 Jno. 3:10-15).

“Because you are not of the world…the world hates you” #1754

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (John 15:18–19, NKJV)

Jesus said His apostles would be detested by those who detested Him. The reason? The world is opposed to Jesus and His truth. His apostles would be hated for teaching and living His truth. The world also hates Christians who continue “steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42). In fact, the world remakes Jesus into their image, and says He affirms their sins. They will hate you for following His truth instead of their distortions of it. One example is the claim Jesus approves homosexuality and same-sex marriage. He does not (Matt. 15:19; 19:4-6; Jude 7). LGBTQ and their supporters say, “God is love,” and that we are unloving unless we accept their definition of love. But, the Son of God said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (Jno. 14:23, 15, 21). His word says homosexuality is “against nature” and the product of sinful lust (Rom. 1:26-27). (So, who loves Jesus?) His word says homosexuality is “unrighteous” conduct. His word says not to be deceived that those who practice it will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-11). They don’t. (So, who loves Jesus?) The gospel does not discriminate against LGBTQ souls, it identifies their sin just as it does the rest of us (Rom. 3:23). Get ready. You will be hated when you teach and practice what Jesus and His apostles did on this subject. The reason? You are not of the world, and they are (Jno. 15:19).

True Love #1704

6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6–8, NKJV)

We “love” everything from ham sandwiches, ice cream, and chocolate, to cars, sports teams, friends, and family. The English language does not do a very good job of differentiating the meanings and usages of the word love. People generally use “love” to describe a strong affection, attraction, warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion. But these meanings do not begin to approach the biblical meaning and practice of love (agape). “God is love,” and He has shown us what love really is by giving His Son to die for us unloving, unlovable, “ungodly” sinners (see 1 John 4:8-10). God’s love is active goodwill toward us (“demonstrates”). It is unselfish in its scope (“toward us”), and sacrificial in its depth (“Christ died for us”). God’s love toward us is the pattern Jesus teaches us to follow in loving God, our neighbors, our brethren, and our enemies (Matt. 22:37-39; 1 John 4:7, 11; Matt. 5:44-45). And, since Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments,” to love Jesus we must demonstrate active goodwill toward Him by obeying Him unselfishly and sacrificially (John 14:15). When we love as God has loved us, we know the love of Christ and are filled with all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:17-19).

“By This We Know Love” #1634

16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:16–18, NKJV)

How do you know someone loves you? Is it because they say, “I love you”? Well, that helps. But, saying “I love you” is convincing for only so long. We know someone truly loves us by how they treat us. Christ put His love into action by sacrificing His life for us. Likewise, we are under love’s moral obligation to sacrifice ourselves to help our brethren. While many suppose hate to be the opposite of love, in fact, love’s opposite is indifference. When we are apathetic toward someone we will not show them active goodwill (love). Indifference easily discounts and disregards others. We may say we love them, but our apathetic conduct toward them proves differently. Jesus is the embodiment of love because He “laid down His life for us.” Instead of closing our hearts to brethren in need, we must “lay down our lives” for them. That is when the love of God abides in us. Do not be deceived, beloved brethren.

“Admonish the young women to love their husbands” #1622

“that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,” (Titus 2:4, NKJV)

Today is February 14 – Valentine’s Day – a day to fondly and affectionately acknowledge the person you love. Today’s verse calls attention to the work of older women to admonish (“to make of sound mind, to discipline or correct: -teach to be sober,” Strong’s Dictionary) young women to “love” their husbands. Interestingly, “love” in this verse is not agape (active goodwill), it is a variation of phileo (warm affection). So then, God’s word says young wives must discipline themselves to be affectionate toward their husbands. Without a doubt (and to their shame), some husbands make this a difficult task! A loving husband helps his wife develop the affectionate quality of love by living with her “with understanding” and giving her the honor she is due (1 Peter 3:7). Still, today’s verse reminds a wife of her responsibility. When it is easy (like on Valentine’s Day) and when it is difficult, the godly wife does not withhold warmhearted affection from her husband. A husband’s understanding and a wife’s affection help secure and strengthen marriage – every day of the year.