“And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love  his brother also.”

1 John 4:21

Love is a very popular idea in today’s world; it’s on everyone’s lips. Songs are sung, books are written, and films are made all about love. But, we often forget that love is a truly Christian idea. It is seen in its fullness only in Christ. Love originated in the mind of God, John says that “God is love”. But what the world calls love is extremely different from what God in Christ revealed love to be. Love is used 180 times in the New Testament so it must be an important topic, it must be something that God wants us to grasp.

 On Sunday 9th, we read about loving others; today we want to see what love is. Webster’s dictionary, defines love as a “strong liking for someone or something, or a passionate affection for another person”. Jesus tells us in John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.” The sacrifice of one’s own life for another is the greatest act of love, or Agape that can be shown.

From the days before vaccines comes this story: Johnny’s sister was dying of a disease that he had recovered from. The Doctor said to Johnny, “your sister needs your kind of blood to make her well, would you be willing to give your blood so that she can live?” Scared but agreed, blood taken and then Johnny asked “when do I die?” Only then did the doctor realize the extent of the child’s sacrifice. Johnny had offered his life to save his sister; Jesus declared that there is no greater love.

If we find it difficult to love other believers how can we have the love we need for the lost to get them the Gospel and lead them to the Saviour? Let’s stop trying to please the world and let’s preach to the world. Forget what the world thinks of you, the important thing is what does the world think of Christ? The world could do with seeing His love in us.

If we are to love at all times then our love has to be unconditional. The wonderful thing about being made God’s children is that He gives us His Spirit to enable us to be like Him, and that likeness is shown most clearly in our love for others. So, as we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us.

May that be the nature of our life together and our witness to the world around us? Do we have an agape love for people? That’s what Christ wants us to have so we can show the love of God to the world through our love towards others.

Garment of Praise

Monthly Insights for Spiritual Growth, Encouragement and Personal Victory.

Oluyemisi Onanuga

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.

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