LOVE AND CHRISTIAN – “BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW…”

Love, the critical component of all things Christian, is many times, not fully grasped at all – its centrality to our faith. Despite Jesus saying that, loving God, and loving our neighbour, are the two greatest commands that a Christian ought to follow. If we follow these two, we have very well followed and fulfilled, all the law all and the prophets – Matthew 22:40, Mark 12:31

Jesus, in His Upper Room discourse, at the fag end of His earthly ministry, and only a few hours before being crucified, says something, that should wake us all up. Sadly we as Christians don’t seem to realise its importance, nor its centrality to our faith.
– “34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” – John 13:34-35

What profound words, and what consequences! Do we even grasp the content of this command? Our love and devotion for God, is reflected in the love we have for our neighbour. Such a display of love will demonstrate, whose disciples are we. Therefore, love is critical for is being called the Chosen People, and the Christians – Exodus 19:5-6; 1 Peter 2:9-10

Love has to be seen and felt. The love that the Bible talks about is, not some random theory, that is relegated to intellectual gymnastics, but never steps out into the real world. Nay my friends, love steps out in a tangible way; is willing to take risk to expose itself; and would not mind being vulnerable.

Costly love my friend…just like how our LORD loves us! Jesus wants this love to be the mark of anyone who wants to follow Him. Sadly, we have some crazy “christians” who think very different, and are diametrically opposite to the very LORD whom they claim is their LORD and Saviour. What a pity.
– “Israel should make the Gaza Strip a parking lot by this time next week. The Muslim religion hates Jewish people to the core of who they are…What they ought to do is evacuate up there on the hill and get a great big missile and blow that wicked Dome of the Rock plumb off where it’s standing right now, so we can get that third temple rebuilt and usher in the coming of Jesus.” – Pastor Greg Locke
Sadly and shockingly, many “christians” feel the same, but in silence, and don’t wish to expose their views. Here is what YAHWEH, the LORD God Almighty had commanded through His servant Moses, to the People of God, and to us too, as Christians.
– “18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the LORD.” – Leviticus 19:18
What clarity in the command – “… YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF: I AM THE LORD.” The LORD made it amply clear, who the “neighbour” is, did He not? – Luke 10:25-37

May the LORD help us to SEEK the truth no matter the cost. May the LORD help us to FOLLOW the truth no matter the cost. May the LORD help us to be His TRUE and FAITHFUL children, no matter the cost. Let us remember always the words of our LORD Jesus in John 13:35 – “35 BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.” Even so the LORD help us, to love each other…our neighbour…just as the LORD loves us.