In the book of John 13:34 the Lord gave us a new commandment to love each other as he loved us. he said this to us, "But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples". This is a new commandment that is to be obeyed by all, we cannot choose to disobey the command of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the help of the Holy Spirit we can love each other like He loves us. This new commandment does not mean that we ignore the old commandment given by the hand of God. what the new commandment does is that it brings all the ten commandment into one new commandment, it embraces all the ten commandment. In the new commandment Jesus says we must LOVE each other. If I love my neighbour (or each other) then I wouldn't want to do all that is in the old commandment to my neighbour example; it says do not steal, so if I love my neighbour I would choose not to steal from my neighbour.
WHAT IS LOVE?
Love is complete acceptance: When we allow someone to be exactly as they are, without any belief that they are not good enough.
Love is completely unconditional: It has no condition, when we truly love someone we cannot stop loving them regardless of what they say or do.
Love is selfless: True love does not want anything in return.
So LOVE is
Complete Acceptance
Completely Unconditional
Is Selfless
Jesus's love was unconditional. It had no condition
Jesus's love cannot not stop regardless of what we say or do
Jesus's love does not depend on us.
Jesus loved us that much he died for us all ( John 3:16 ). We were sinners but his unconditional love did not condemn us, instead he brought us back to God.His death was the highest unconditional love that man cannot comprehend.
WHAT IS AGAPE LOVE?
This is the highest form of love
Is the love God had for mankind
Is a sacrificial love: That voluntarily suffers inconvenience, discomfort and even death for the benefit of another without expecting anything in return.
This type of love does not fear.
We are called to agape God - Matthew 22:37
We are commanded to agape our neighbour - Matthew 22:29 ; John 15: 12,17 ; Ephesians 5:1-2
We are called to love our enemies - Matthew 5: 43-46
We are not to love money - Matthew 6:24
We are not to love darkness - John 3:19
We are not to love men's approval - John 12:43
The Father Son and the Holy Spirit love each other and this love brought unity. In John 13 verse 35, Jesus said this "IF you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples". IF- this is introducing to us a conditional clause or On condition that or Provided that we love each other then everyone will know that we are his disciples. Jesus wants his body to walk in love ( agape love ). a love that does not envy, a love that is not jealous or a love that does not steal from each other, a love that would not kill or does not lie and instead a love that will obey the ten commandments.
Jesus knew the importance of love and this is why he gave us a new commandment. I believe that when the enemy sees love amongst the body of Christ he will flee from us.
This is why the book of 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 records that love is the greatest gift.
Can we love like Jesus loves us?
Yes we can with the help of His Spirit that lives in us.
JESUS IS LOVE!
PRAYER
I pray Father with all my heart that with the help the Holy Spirit you please teach me to love and love unconditionally, thank you father in Jesus name Amen.
