Scripture tells us that “we love because God first loved us” (1 John 4:19); God infuses His own love into us by His Spirit, so that we may love as He loves. His love brings us a grace that is high, wide, long, deep and all-forgiving and it is this love that allows us to love the God-created personhood of others. Without His love it is impossible for us to truly love one another and even ourselves.
As Christians, we must cultivate genuine concern and care for our fellowman which ought to be deeper and better than anyone else’s on earth. We are the carriers of God’s message of love. Love should be our theme in living.
It is commanded by Christ that we love one another: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31), therefore it is our obligation to love people despite their race, creed, nationality, social status, background, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or political affiliation. Our job is to love, it is Jesus who redeems.
Loving people who we do not know neither comes naturally nor does it come easily but with the Holy Spirit’s continuous guidance, love will be produced in us and we will prevail in this. We are to remain steadfast in our commitment to love as God loves. We must love intentionally through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit of God.
Remember, when we love one another, we honour God, He lives in union with us and His love is perfected in us:
“The message you heard from the very beginning is this: we must love one another…Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God…This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that He loved us…if we love one another, God lives in union with us, and His love is made perfect in us…The command that Christ has given us is this: whoever loves God must love his brother also.” 1 John 3:11, 4:7,10,12,20
Love One Another ©2013 Shelley Johnson 8-Mar-13
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