Love One Another - Part 2

Love One Another - Part 2

When the Bible uses the phrase "one another", God is telling His people something important about the church. It’s not surprising, then, that fifteen times the New Testament uses the words "one another" in conjunction with the word "love".

Love is the key to the success of the church. It must be present in everything we do. In fact, love is the prevailing characteristic that the world should see in us.

John 13:34-35

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The Apostle John uses these terms together nine times in his writings. In fact, his first letter is called the love letter, because he talks so much about love.

He stresses this very important point: love is from God and loving is a commandment to Jesus' followers. It is not an option for believers.

1 John 4:7-8

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love."

You cannot be a Christian without love. Furthermore, we are not only told to love one another inside the church walls, but everyone - even those who are our enemies!

Nobody likes having enemies so how do you love someone when you don't even like them? The key is prayer. If you are having a hard time loving another, spend some time praying them. God will show you why they are worth loving. That person is someone that Jesus loves. In fact, that person is someone that Jesus died for. That’s enough for me!

Begin today in prayer, and remember to pray for others - especially those that you are having a difficult time loving. God will break the hardness in your heart for them.

1 Corinthians 13:13

“But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.”