LOVE AND CHRISTIAN – “LOVE ONE ANOTHER”

The LORD Jesus, addressing His disciples, towards the end of His earthly ministry, speaks something very profound. It is important for us, as Christians, to grasp the full meaning of these words, found in John 13:34-35.
– “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

Jesus speaks about two things, in the above passage, and they both are interlinked. They both are so closely linked with each other that, one does not have any meaning or purpose to exist, without the other side being embraced and practiced wholeheartedly. This is just the same, from a different angle, as what Jesus says to the Pharisee in Luke 10:25-37 – “The Greatest Commandment of All” and the subsequent “Parable of the Good Samaritan” – “Love God…and Love Your Neighbour.”

We are commanded to love one another by the LORD Jesus Christ. For such a love, there are to be no pre-conditions, nor suitable or favourable conditions, for us to embrace this idea of love, and practice it without any prejudice towards our “neighbour” and towards all. It is radical, to say the least, to love this way.

The bar is raised the highest, because, *the example one is called to emulate, in loving the other is, the LORD Jesus Himself…* We can have no better and higher standard than the LORD Himself.
– “34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
We are called to love one another, just like how Jesus loved the sinful, wicked and evil people, including you and me.

Then Jesus repeats this new command “…ye love one another…” three times in the span of two small verses. The repetition of this, in such a short span of time, is to help us realise its importance, and its immutability in practice. We have no other choice, nor any clauses and pre-conditions, to somehow work our way around the “problem” of obeying it. We have no choice but to obey it fully, willingly and wholeheartedly. This is the purpose of the  triple emphasis of “…ye love one another…”

Do we love others like Jesus? This is what the LORD is asking of us. In fact this is a command. Commands are given to obey, not to discuss and debate, whether it is right or wrong, to follow or not to follow. How are we faring dear brother, sister and friend? May the LORD help us to love others, just like how the LORD Jesus loved. Even so the LORD help us.