Today’s Encouragement is John 13:34-35 NLT So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
Love each other –
We Christians get kinda beat up by the world with this commandment. When we object to their overtly sinful behaviors, they scream, “Aren’t you Christians supposed to love everybody!?!” How do we respond? Are we failing to Love each other when we reject certain behaviors as sin and clearly contrary to God’s Word?
Recognize my friends, that Jesus’ commandment was to love each other… brothers and sisters in faith. We are also taught to love our enemies (Matt. 5:44). And to turn the other cheek (Matt. 5:39). These high standards of love for others, believers, enemies, and nonbelievers… are God’s commandments and irrefutable!
However, when my brother is a murderer, my love for him compels me to reject his murderous ways, though still caring for the man. If he chooses to commit robbery, abuse his wife, or remain in addiction to drugs, etc., am I expected by God to love and accept, his behavior, his choices, and his actions? Instead, I may be led by God’s Spirit to speak (in love) to him about this destructive behavior, offering the grace and mercy of Jesus as the only hope for his life. This is Love. It is not blind acceptance of ‘anything goes, whatever you do I will still love you’… No! Rather, the Love of God recognizes good from evil, and offers compassion to those who repeatedly, willfully choose the evil… as we all do! We all have sinned! (Rom.3:23)
Father God, thank You for giving us the gift of Your Love for others, help us to love others as You have first loved us.
Here is Love
Matt Redman
Today’s Encouragement 