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Title: Love One Another
Date: Mar 10, 2010
Topic(s): Obedience/Discipleship, Love, Salvation
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13, Romans 5:2-5, 1 Peter 1:22, Romans 13:8-10, John 15:12-16, 1 John 4:7, John 13:34-35, Romans 12:9-10, Galatians 5:13-14, 1 John 3:14

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"Love one another." You'll see that phrase over and over again in the New Testament. Why? Because it's the new commandment, the law of Christ: love one another. It's visible proof that you've received the gift of salvation and belong to Christ.

What Does God Say?

First John 3:14 tells us, "If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead" (NLT). You can know for sure that you've passed from death to life (salvation through Christ) because of the love you have for others in the same condition (saved through Christ).

Because this is true, it's also a command. Look at 1 John 4:7: "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God" (ESV). In John 13:34-35, Jesus told His disciples--and us--that "a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (ESV).

Love for others is proof of your salvation. When you obey the command to love, when you follow Jesus' example of love, others will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you belong to Him. So, how do you do it--how do you love like Jesus loved?

My Thoughts

Read through these passages with the following questions in mind.

John 15:12-16

• What is Jesus' example of love like?
• What will the result of loving one another be?

Romans 12:9-10; 13:8-10

• What attitudes go with "love one another"?
• What actions does this love take?
• What does this love not do?

Galatians 5:13-14; 1 Peter 1:22

• What attitudes mark our love for one another?
• What actions does this love take?
• How have you shown this love? What else can you do?

My Part

When we talk about love, we often turn to 1 Corinthians 13. It shows us real love, the kind God pours into our hearts when we belong to Him (see Romans 5:2-5). But sometimes we don't understand the actions that should characterize our love.

According to 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends" (ESV).

List each thing that love is or does, and jot down ways you show love. For example:

• How do you demonstrate patience?
• What situations can you think of today that require your kindness?
• What does your relationship with a friend or spouse look like when you "believe all things" or "bear all things"?

This is love in action, not emotion or an impossible goal. This is "love one another" lived out today in you.

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