• Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About
Sunny Slope Church of Christ
  • Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About

Why Should We Love One Another?

2/12/2017

 
​   Jesus taught us, as His disciples, to love one another (Jn. 13:34-35).  His instruction in that context is not a suggestion.  He stated it as a commandment.  The purpose behind this commandment is extremely important.  The world will recognize Christ in us by the love that we exhibit toward one another.  But the reasons that should motivate our love for one another go way beyond just following a commandment that tells us to love one another.
   As Christians we are family, God’s family!  When we become a Christian, God adopts us into His family as His son or daughter (Gal. 4:4-5).  Thus, each Christian is the brother or sister of every other Christian.  As brothers and sisters we cannot rightfully hate one another (1 Jn. 2:9-10).  So serious is the bond of love that should exist between Christians that John may suggest that for a Christian to not love his brother may actually make him guilty of hating him (1Jn. 3:10-15).  It is difficult to love simply on command, but it is natural to love one’s family. 
   A Christian also ought to love his brothers and sisters in Christ precisely because he is “in Christ.”  When a person is scripturally baptized, he is baptized “into Christ” (Rom. 6:3).  He has “put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27).  In becoming a Christian, Paul speaks of surrendering one’s life to the Savior (Gal. 2:20).  He exhorts the Christian to share in the mind of Christ (Phlp. 2:5).  Paul gives that instruction within a context of scripture that talks about the loving sacrifice that Christ made in leaving Heaven and going to the cross for mankind.  If God and Christ could love man that much while he was still lost in sin (Rom. 5:8), then a Christian certainly ought to love his brothers and sisters in Christ.  Doing so is a natural characteristic of being “in Christ.”
   David gave us a wonderful example of another reason why we, as Christians, ought to love one another.  When King Saul unjustly hounded David, continually attempting to hunt him down and kill him in a jealous rage, David would not raise his hand against the King.  More than once David could have killed Saul in his sleep and been rid of him.  Saul was wicked in seeking to kill David, but David would not strike Saul.  At one point David cut off a piece of Saul’s garment while he slept, just to demonstrate to Saul that he had been at David’s mercy, yet David did him no harm.  Afterward, David felt great shame that he had done even that much.  It was not that Saul deserved David’s respect because of his own righteousness, for he was not righteous in what he was seeking to do.  David could not hate Saul, and he would not raise a hand against him, because Saul was the Lord’s anointed as king of Israel.  As Christians, we are, at least in a sense, God’s anointed (1 Jn. 2:20, 27).  In Christ we are also kings and priests (Rev. 1:6).  We ought to love our fellow Christians because of their relationship to God.  We should not strike out against God’s anointed, our brothers and sisters in Christ.
   To love our fellow Christians is a serious matter.  It is a matter that deserves great thought, reflection and understanding.  To love each other is not just a matter of commandment.  It is, much more, a matter of who we are and who they are.  God’s family, in Christ, God’s anointed...

Comments are closed.

    Author

    Gary L. Hutchens

    Categories

    All
    Dennis Stackhouse
    Gary Hutchens

    Archive

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    March 2008
    February 2008
    January 2008
    January 2007

Member Login
SUBMIT PRAYER REQUEST
© 2019 Sunny Slope Church of Christ | All Rights Reserved
3606 N. 108th St., Omaha, NE 68164 | (402) 498-8397 | Contact Us
  • Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About