Loving our Christian brothers and sisters is not only one of the oldest and most important commands, but also one of the most effective ways of proving to the world we are Jesus’ disciples or His true church. We therefore do not have the option of failing/refusing to love someone in the Body of Christ. If they are a part of the covenant community, we must genuinely and affectionately love them regardless of their age, sex, race, background, position, personality – or even our past experiences w/them. One of the clearest signs that someone is not/no longer a Christian, is their failure/refusal to love their Christian brothers and sisters. As the Law is increasingly rejected by the church, Jesus prophesies this wb the number one way Christians go apostate – i.e. thru their failure/refusal to love one another. If then we want to remain disciples of Christ – as well as make (new) disciples for Christ, our commitment/practice of loving one another is imperative. And that commitment (to love) must be more than our love or commitments to the things of this world. It must also be more than just affection. Though such affection is vital to our love for one another, it is our just/righteous/lawful treatment of each other that most defines what it means to love. To do this however, requires that our attitude, thinking and speech first be just/righteous/lawful.

1. Loving our Christian brothers and sisters is not only one of the oldest and most important commands, but also one of the most effective ways of proving to the world we are Jesus’ disciples or His true church.

(1Jo 3:11; Mat 22:36-38 w/Lev 19:18; Joh 13:34-35)

2. We therefore do not have the option of failing/refusing to love someone in the Body of Christ. If they are a part of the covenant community, we must genuinely and affectionately love them regardless of their age, sex, race, background, personality, position – or even our past experiences w/them.

(Rom 12:9-10; Heb 13:1; Gal 3:28; 1Co 12:12-26; 1Th 5:12-13; Col 3:12-14 w/Mar 11:25; “you can’t pick your family”; “you don’t turn your back on your family”)

3. One of the clearest signs that someone is not/no longer a Christian, is their failure/refusal to love their Christian brothers and sisters.

(1Jo 2:9-11 , 3:14, 4:7-8, 20, 5:1)

4. As the Law is increasingly rejected by the church, Jesus prophesies this wb the number one way Christians go apostate – i.e. thru their failure/refusal to love one another.

(Luk 24:10-13) = B/C “lawlessness wb increased”, more and more Christians will “fall away” or be led “astray” by “false prophets” – i.e. go apostate, thru “betray(ing) one another” and “hat(ing) one another” and allowing their love for one another to “grow cold”.   IOW: not loving one another will result in apostasy.

5. If then we want to remain disciples of Christ – as well as make (new) disciples for Christ, our commitment to love one another is imperative.

(Joh 13:35 – “by this all people will know”; Why this shows we are Christ’s disciples or church = BC this is one of the key signs/intentions of our salvation, 1Pe 1:22 w/Tit 2:14-3:8, 14)

6. And that commitment (to love) must be more than our love or commitments to the things of this world.

(1Jo 2:15-19 = This then is another reason people apostasize or go “out from us” – b/c they love the things of this world more than their bros/sis in Christ) 

7. It must also be more than just affection. Though such affection is vital to our love for one another, it is our just/righteous/lawful treatment of each other that most defines what it means to love.

(1Th 4:9-10 = We are tb increasing in our affection for one another as a means to accomplishing our ultimate goal in love – an increase in our just/righteous/lawful treatment of one another – 1Th 3:12-4:8;  Rom 13:8-10; Mat 7:12 w/13-14; 1Jo 5:2-3 = Love is not love – but obedience to the Law; Jam 2:8-11 = Love is obedience to the whole Law in re: to others and not just the parts we want to obey -e.g. 1Pe 2:1 w/Exo 20:17 w/Mat 27:18; 1Pe 4:8)

8. To do this however, requires that our attitude, thinking and speech first be just/righteous/lawful.

(1Th 5:15 versus 1Ti 6:4; 1Pe 2:1; Jam 4:11-12 w/Deu 19:15 w/1Ti 5:19 = We are never to suspect, believe or accuse our bros/sis of something bad or sinful w/o the kind of evidence that can prove it to the rest of God’s people in the church’s courts – 1Co 6:1-5; Deu 29:29; 2Co 10:5. And then if that is the case, we are to follow the Law’s protocol for dealing w/it – Lev 19:15-18 w/Mat 18:15-16. If Christians committed themselves to simply this portion of just/righteous/lawful treatment in their love of their bros/sis, the majority of relational sins that happen in the Body of Christ wb eliminated since it is here that they start – Jam 3:6; e.g. children in re: to the parents, husbands and wives, congregations and their pastors; BTW – Pro 27:6).

CLOSING CONTEMPLATION/CHALLENGE = According to the Apostle John, what motivates our love for our Christian brothers and sisters is the love God has shown to us – most especially in sending His Son to die for us (1Jo 4:10-11, 19). If you are not motivated to love your brothers and sisters to the degree – and in the way God calls you too, this then may be the problem. You have forgotten – or don’t appreciate God’s love for you. When was the last time you meditated on the amazing, undeserved and abundant love God has given to you?