Love One Another

After Jesus instituted the Last Supper the night before His sacrificial death on the cross, He proclaimed to His disciples:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

This declaration was not merely a suggestion; it was a divine mandate that would shape the very essence of what it meant to be a follower of Christ.

In this moment, Christ established the paradigm for His church, emphasizing that love should be the foundational characteristic of His followers. The love He referred to was not a superficial or fleeting emotion, but a profound, genuine, and selfless love that mirrors His own sacrificial love for humanity. This kind of love was intended to become the hallmark of Christians and their Founder, distinguishing them from the rest of the world. Love would serve as the identifying characteristic that marked those who were true disciples of the Nazarene. Therefore, every action, every word, and every thought of a Christ-follower must be filtered through the lens of love. Without this essential quality, we are rendered as nothing, devoid of true purpose and impact.

The Apostle Paul echoed this high standard of love in his letter to the Corinthians, stating,

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

Through these words, Paul emphasizes that even the most impressive spiritual gifts and acts of sacrifice are rendered meaningless in the absence of love. It is love that gives life and significance to our actions, transforming them from mere deeds into expressions of divine grace.

If we claim to know and follow Jesus of Nazareth, we too are commissioned by the Lord to love our neighbor as ourselves, a command that requires both action and intention. But how do we demonstrate this love in tangible ways? There are myriad ways to express love to others, but perhaps the greatest and most impactful love we can extend to the world is the proclamation of the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are lost. This involves delivering God’s Word with both grace and truth. As Paul articulates in Romans 10:14,

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

It is not only our responsibility but also our profound joy to share the Good News with others. After all, if we recognize that others are ensnared in spiritual bondage yet fail to share the liberating truth with them, can we genuinely claim to possess love in our hearts?

In stark contrast to the messages often propagated by the world, true love does not consist of affirming others in their sinful and lost state; rather, it involves proclaiming the Christ who can free them from their captivity. Therefore, our highest calling as Christians is to act as conduits of God’s love, reaching out to unbelievers by sharing the message of salvation that is found exclusively in Jesus of Nazareth. This means actively engaging in conversations, building relationships, and demonstrating the love of Christ through our actions and words.

In what ways can we effectively share the Gospel with those who are lost? What personal transformations have you experienced as a result of the Gospel in your own life? These reflections not only deepen our understanding of our mission but also encourage us to live out the love that Christ exemplified, impacting the world around us.