The love mandate

In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,  - 1 John 3v10-11 

Wow! Look what attribute pops up yet again. ‘Whoever does not love his brother is not of God…you should love one another…whoever hates his brother abides in death…’ 

Jesus tells us that the greatest test of our discipleship is that we have love for each other. Here we are told that if we do not love each other we are not abiding in God. On this five year journey through the word of God the love mandate has been one thing that has really stuck out. If there is no love there is nothing, no hope, no faith, no abiding. 

Since those who are saved will love each other – it is not something we ‘have to’ do, it is part of being saved – why is it that we so often don’t act like we love each other? Why do our words so often contradict our love? Why do our actions contradict our love? 

Shouldn’t true love be obvious? Since we as believers do love each other should not every one see it? Sadly, too often the world sees division and conflict among us instead of love. If we must differ and discuss at times it is vital that we keep that ‘in house’ and don’t wreck our testimony by our words and our actions.