Verse: 1 John 4:7-8
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
Devotion
John gives the command to love one another, but also tells us directly that all believers will love one another because God is love. There is no question that as believers, we are called to love one another. John made this clear in Chapter 2 when he wrote:
“Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.” (1 John 2:7)
From the very beginning, we were always instructed to love one another. Being a believer directly connects us to God, as our once dead hearts were brought to life through Jesus. The Holy Spirit connects us to God who literally is Love. For us to be connected through that life line, we as believers must demonstrate that love for one another.
The command for believers to love one another is not something that is limited. It doesn’t say “Let us love one another, as long as we agree on politics”. It doesn’t say “Let us love one another, as long as we have similar interests, as long as we have the same skin color, or even the same beliefs”. The love that is talked about in this passage is not limited— it is unconditional. We should not be treating others poorly for any reason, including those who drive side by side on the highway (trust me, I looked for an exception for this. Not there.)
That being said, The command to “love one another” does not mean we have to condone anything that is directly against what the Bible teaches. However, we can ensure we are not ostracizing others because of their actions. We need to instead show them the Love of God through our actions. We can stand firm in our beliefs, while also sharing the Love of God. It is clear that believers are required to love one another— so we need to ensure we take advantage of every opportunity to be the vessel for God’s message, demonstrating the Love that John talks about.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for all that you are doing in our lives. Lord I ask for opportunities to come up in which we can go above and beyond to demonstrate your love. Let our actions demonstrate your love always, so much so that people begin to notice and ask questions. I ask that these conversations be a vessel to share your Gospel message, and that they are fruitful. Please give us the wisdom to navigate these situations for your glory. In your heavenly name I pray,
Amen.
Author: Justin Artymenko
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