Discipleship: Day 2

 

John 13:34  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

35  "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.''

 

Jesus gave us this commandment, that we should love one another. Have you ever considered that we had to be commanded to love one another?  This is one of the strongest commandments in the New Testament, yet many Christians ignore this as if it were not even there.

 

God’s Word tells us that we love Him because He first loved us.  In a like manner, we are supposed to love other Christians even as He loves us. This is what separates us from the world, this is how others will see that we are different, and this is how all men will know we are His disciples. Not by the great things we may accomplish, but in our love for one another.

 

There are four different Greek words translated love in the New Testament, but the word translated love in this text is agape. It is the highest form of love there is. Agape is the God kind of love. This is the same word used in John 3:16  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

This is an unselfish kind of love that thinks of others first, and puts others needs above our own.

 

As children of God we have been given this commandment. We may not totally understand the high importance God has placed on this, but He does. This is why He had to make it a commandment. He knows we would not do it otherwise. When we walk this way, we walk in Him, and when we walk in Him we fulfill His commandment, and we walk in His divine purpose. That is no small thing to consider is it?  This is where the blessings are.  This is where the protection is. We should purpose in our heart to walk in His divine agape. We will see the difference it makes as we walk out our Christian lives.

 

Confession:  I purpose in my heart to walk in agape, the God kind of love and to fulfill the great commandment Jesus gave the Church. By this all men will know that I am His disciple indeed.