The Lord Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13) Jesus displayed His love for us by laying down His life. It's a small thing for Him to ask us to show our love for others by being kind to them.
John has more to say today on the subject of love, and on the subject of love's opposite---hatred.
"For this is the message you heard from the beginning: That we should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." (1 John 3:11-13) Why did Cain murder Abel? Because he hated him. Why did Cain hate Abel? Because Abel was right with God.
It's a sad fact that there are going to be people who hate us for no other reason than that we are right with God through Christ Jesus. We might as well go ahead and expect it, but that doesn't mean we are free to hate those who hate us. The Apostle Peter would eventually lose his life because of his faith, yet he said, "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult." (1 Peter 3:9a) The Apostle Paul, who would also be martyred for proclaiming the name of Christ, advised, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21) And if the authoritative opinion of these two great men of God isn't enough, the Lord Jesus Himself prayed for those who hated Him, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)
How can we tell whether our hearts are right with the Lord? One piece of strong evidence for this is that we don't feel compelled to seek revenge when someone wrongs us. "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him." (1 John 3:14-15) Remember how Jesus equated lustful thoughts with the act of adultery? This is because adultery starts in the mind. In the same way, murder begins with hateful thoughts. Harboring hate in our hearts can cause us to commit all sorts of sins, including murder.
Talk is cheap, as the saying goes, so claims of love ought to be backed up by loving actions. That's how Jesus proved His love for us. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." (1 John 3:16) In John's day, if a person stood up for his brother or sister in Christ, he might actually lose his life. But we can take this advice figuratively as well as literally. "Laying down our lives" can take the form of putting the needs of others ahead of our own. It means not being selfish and self-centered. "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." (1 John 3:17-18) Amen! The Lord Jesus proved His love with actions. If we are in Him, and if we want to be like Him, we will do the same.
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