Many Christians understand the foundational principle that we are to love one another. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. But what does that mean? Does that mean that we think cheerful and nice thoughts about one another and then just do whatever we please? May it never be!
God tells us how to love one another. It is not that loving one another replaces the law and commands of God. The opposite is true. He showed us how to love one another through obedience to His law and commands.
8Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
We do not show love to people by simply ignoring them and letting everyone do their own thing. If someone wants to play in the street or stay inside a burning building, are we showing them love by telling them those are good choices? Not at all! We show love by telling them those are dangerous choices. Speak in love and gentleness, but firmly in truth to tell others about how God tells us to live.
The law shows us how to love one another and how to love God. We are to take heed to God’s commands and apply them. It is fairly obvious that we are not showing love to others by committing adultery, murdering, stealing, or coveting. However, it is equally true that we are not showing love to others if we tell them “We choose not to do those things, but it is ok if they choose to do them”. It is not showing love to others if we ignore or reject God’s commands and God’s law.
Let us lay aside deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light… and encourage others to do so as well. Avoid carousing and drunkenness. Avoid sexual promiscuity (sex outside marriage). Avoid strife and jealousy. Let us not make any acceptance for the flesh in its desire to pursue its lusts. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus and live according to His word and example.
One parting thought… to follow Jesus’ example is to follow the law, rejecting wrong behavior in ourselves, and also to rebuke wrong behavior in others… because we love them. We can also be deliberate and compassionate in how we address others who may be struggling or lost. We can avoid being arrogant, mean, or too harsh lest they be put off and not receive the message.
I invite you to pray with me:
Father, thank you for showing us how to love one another and how to love You through obedience to Your word in the Bible. Please help us as Your people to show love Your way and not accept the way the world tells us to love one another. The world wants us to accept everyone’s sin and reject Your ways. Open the eyes of the spiritually blind. Help us to have opportunity to share Your love with others and prepare them to receive the truth of Your word. Help us also to love one another as fellow disciples of Yeshua, even where we experience some friction or differences in understanding Your word. Amen.
Shalom
Devotion by John in service to Christ
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