May 13th 2018
Love One Another, As I Have Loved You!
John 13:34-35 (NIV)
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-7). Jesus looked like one of us, and He even worked like one of us, as Jesus was working as a carpenter in His early years. Jesus did not start His ministry until He was thirty years old. In this lifetime we are all supposed to have a ministry too. Our ministry is to tell other members of mankind, how having Jesus in your life has changed you, for the better! Is your ministry active? Jesus gave all of mankind one command, to “Love one another, As I have loved you.”
Paul, John and Peter all wrote about this idea of loving others, as Jesus had loved them. In this commentary we can read some of these references to loving one another. In our world today, we do not see this loving attitude until there is some catastrophe, then we often see people react in a positive way, and they even put themselves in perilous situations to help those who are in desperate need. Most of this type of reaction seems to be inspired by a faith in Jesus Christ. Most of these “heroes” appear to be people who profess to be Christians. In the USA today, many if not most of our youth are turning away from a Christian lifestyle. My prayer is that this idea portrayed here is wrong! For if it is correct, then there will be fewer people who are willing to help anyone who is in need. Law abiding citizens are formed by church attendance not by social behavior! And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. (1John 3:23).
Everyone is searching for answers about what this lifetime holds for them. Without having a belief in Jesus there is little hope for a future beyond the day-to-day existence, without the hope of a hereafter that is better than this lifetime, then only today can offer freedom from worry, as there is no hope beyond today. What may happen tomorrow is totally unknown and freedom from worry is not possible. Many people are turning to drugs as a way of relief from not believing in tomorrow being a better day. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1John 4:7). Without having Jesus in your life there is no reason to believe tomorrow will be better than this today!
All followers of Jesus Christ are guaranteed a better tomorrow, because we are a day closer to being united with Jesus. Jesus died for you to be able to have the only true freedom there is available to mankind. His death for your sins has set you free of the worry about tomorrow. Now there is nothing you are required to do to gain your salvation, you have been saved by what Jesus did in your stead. Now that is true freedom! Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow-man has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8). You are free to love other people, because you are debt free. Okay, you still have a debt to pay for things you need, or want, to help keep you happy today! Jesus paid ahead for your tomorrow!
Jesus is the truth; His Word is the only truth there is to be read and believed in this lifetime. All other books were written by some member of mankind, and thus, cannot truly be the absolute truth. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. (1Peter 1:22). Peter wrote for us about obeying this truth which can offer you a means of obtaining a feeling of purity in this lifetime. Peter wrote, “by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for all members of mankind.” Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1John 4:11-12).
God uses us in this lifetime to echo His love through us by the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us see potential good in all members of mankind, even those who cannot except God as a reality without somehow actually seeing Him. John wrote that, “No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” Did you get that, if we love one another, then “God lives in us?” The writer of Hebrews wrote about faith and that it is based on hope, as we will not see God in this lifetime, but we believe He exists, because we feel His presence in our lives. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1). Everything we see is temporary and at some time will cease to exist! Being “certain of what we do not see” is based solely on faith in the promises of God!
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12). The Golden Rule sums it up rather well, if you love others, treat them as you hope they will treat you.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
John 13:34-35 (NIV)
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-7). Jesus looked like one of us, and He even worked like one of us, as Jesus was working as a carpenter in His early years. Jesus did not start His ministry until He was thirty years old. In this lifetime we are all supposed to have a ministry too. Our ministry is to tell other members of mankind, how having Jesus in your life has changed you, for the better! Is your ministry active? Jesus gave all of mankind one command, to “Love one another, As I have loved you.”
Paul, John and Peter all wrote about this idea of loving others, as Jesus had loved them. In this commentary we can read some of these references to loving one another. In our world today, we do not see this loving attitude until there is some catastrophe, then we often see people react in a positive way, and they even put themselves in perilous situations to help those who are in desperate need. Most of this type of reaction seems to be inspired by a faith in Jesus Christ. Most of these “heroes” appear to be people who profess to be Christians. In the USA today, many if not most of our youth are turning away from a Christian lifestyle. My prayer is that this idea portrayed here is wrong! For if it is correct, then there will be fewer people who are willing to help anyone who is in need. Law abiding citizens are formed by church attendance not by social behavior! And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. (1John 3:23).
Everyone is searching for answers about what this lifetime holds for them. Without having a belief in Jesus there is little hope for a future beyond the day-to-day existence, without the hope of a hereafter that is better than this lifetime, then only today can offer freedom from worry, as there is no hope beyond today. What may happen tomorrow is totally unknown and freedom from worry is not possible. Many people are turning to drugs as a way of relief from not believing in tomorrow being a better day. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1John 4:7). Without having Jesus in your life there is no reason to believe tomorrow will be better than this today!
All followers of Jesus Christ are guaranteed a better tomorrow, because we are a day closer to being united with Jesus. Jesus died for you to be able to have the only true freedom there is available to mankind. His death for your sins has set you free of the worry about tomorrow. Now there is nothing you are required to do to gain your salvation, you have been saved by what Jesus did in your stead. Now that is true freedom! Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow-man has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8). You are free to love other people, because you are debt free. Okay, you still have a debt to pay for things you need, or want, to help keep you happy today! Jesus paid ahead for your tomorrow!
Jesus is the truth; His Word is the only truth there is to be read and believed in this lifetime. All other books were written by some member of mankind, and thus, cannot truly be the absolute truth. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. (1Peter 1:22). Peter wrote for us about obeying this truth which can offer you a means of obtaining a feeling of purity in this lifetime. Peter wrote, “by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for all members of mankind.” Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1John 4:11-12).
God uses us in this lifetime to echo His love through us by the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us see potential good in all members of mankind, even those who cannot except God as a reality without somehow actually seeing Him. John wrote that, “No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” Did you get that, if we love one another, then “God lives in us?” The writer of Hebrews wrote about faith and that it is based on hope, as we will not see God in this lifetime, but we believe He exists, because we feel His presence in our lives. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1). Everything we see is temporary and at some time will cease to exist! Being “certain of what we do not see” is based solely on faith in the promises of God!
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12). The Golden Rule sums it up rather well, if you love others, treat them as you hope they will treat you.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak