Why Should I Love People? by Chuck Smith Several times the apostle John focuses on keeping God’s commandments as a test of our love for God. For example: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked (1 John 2:3-6). So you claim to have had an experience with God and a relationship with Jesus Christ? What proof can you supply for your claim? The mere fact that you say so doesn’t necessarily mean anything. John says that the proof is found in your obedience to Him. We know very well what proof John had in mind. History remembers him as “John the beloved,” largely because he caught the main message of Jesus—that the most important part of being a Christian is having and manifesting God’s love. “A new commandment I give to you,” Jesus told His disciples, “that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34). John passes on to us this message of love for one another more than any other idea. In fact, he gets pretty strong about it. He has a word for those who claim to know God and yet neglect to keep His commandments: “liar.” A lot of people go around saying, “I know God,” and yet they’re filled with hatred. They speak with evil intent and seek to degrade others. John calls you a liar if you say that you know Him and yet do not keep His commandments, especially His supreme command to love one another. If you say you have received Jesus into your life, and yet harbor bitterness or hatred for your brother or sister, then you’re lying. But the opposite is also true. If you really are keeping His command¬ments through the power of the Holy Spirit, then the love of God is being perfected in you. The word “perfected” means completed, fully developed. So how do you know you’re in Him? You know it because God’s love is being perfected in your life. Since God’s love for you is better than unconditional, that means the love being perfected in you will also be better than unconditional. And what did John mean by “walking as Jesus walked”? Peter gives us a clue when he writes, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth;’ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:21-23). That’s the example that Jesus set for you to follow; that’s how you are to walk. “This is My commandment,” Jesus said, “that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Jesus taught us that love is supreme, so love is the real proof of your relationship with Jesus. Love is the ultimate proof that you truly are a child of God. Toward the end of his letter, John once again revisited this key idea: By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments (1 John 5:2). This time around, John reverses the spin on his comments. His ques¬tion now is not, “How can I know that I love God?” but rather, “How can I know that I love the children of God?” He knows that it’s all too easy for us to say, “I love humanity! It’s people I cannot stand.” So he takes us back to the basics. He reminds us that love for God and love for people go hand-in-hand. You don’t answer the question, “Do I really love people?” by asking yourself how you feel about them. You answer the question by asking how eagerly and thoroughly you’ve been obeying God’s command¬ments—especially ones like, “Love your enemies; bless those who curse you; do good to those who hate you; and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” And why should I do that, Jesus? He answers, “That you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45). - excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 13:17:26 +0000
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