A Test Based on Loving One Another
Notes
Transcript
It is fitting that we find ourselves in this passage the Sunday leading up to Valentine’s Day.
Last week, John gave a test for a person’s salvation when obedience is to the commands of God and morality is concerned. This week we will notice a second test for a person’s salvation that is centered around love of brother.
Read 1 John 2:7-11
John opens this section with a word of affection, “beloved”, which comes from the greek word for love, agape. Any time we have a word like this leading off a section of scripture, have to anticipate that there is going to be difficult information coming. In this case, the commandment that follows is a difficult one.
This leads us to our first point this morning.
To Love is Both an Old and New Commandment
To Love is Both an Old and New Commandment
In verses 7 and 8 we read John first explaining that what follows is both not a new commandment but also a new commandment. How can we make sense of this? Well, we have to begin with understanding what the commandment is that he is reminding them of. We don’t find an answer to what John is actually talking about until verse 10, though verse 9 hints at it. “Whoever loves his brother…”
Ahhh, now we see a bit more clearly why there might be some difficulty here. But how is it that John can say that this is both an old commandment that has existed from the beginning as well as a new commandment. Well evidence for the timelessness of this commandment is seen all throughout the Old Testament. For instance, listen to Leviticus 19:
9 “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. 10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God. 11 “You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. 12 You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. 13 “You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. 14 You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. 15 “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. 17 “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
The love that we ought to have with our fellow man is documented well. However, what could John mean when he says that this commandment to love is also a new one? To answer this, I want to point at two places in the New Testament. First in John 13:34-35. “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. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
To quote David Allen, this love is now displayed with “a new emphasis, a new example (Jesus), and a new experience in our lives.” While the concept of love was already fully in existence, those that heard the words of Jesus and the ones who read this letter from John had a renewed understanding of what it means to love.
The second place in the New Testament we should turn our attention to is in Romans 13:8-10: Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
First off, it is the love of God that was fully displayed on the cross. Afterall, what was the motivating factor for God sending Jesus to the earth? His love for the world. Further, as Paul explains to the Romans, that to love is love is to obey the law.
We should also notice that the word commandment is used several times in this case. When we considered last week the importance of a follower of Christ obeying His commands, it then makes sense that we would have this law in mind and would love one another.
Next, I want to set our sights on one phrase in verse 8: “Which is true in Him and in you…”
The Love of God is Most Clearly Displayed on the Cross of Jesus Christ and Our Dedication to Him
The Love of God is Most Clearly Displayed on the Cross of Jesus Christ and Our Dedication to Him
John makes perfectly clear that the love of God is the source of Jesus’ death on the cross. Love is at the very core of the gospel which is why he says that this commandment is true in God. However, we may have to do a little more searching to determine the meaning of this commandment being true in the believer.
When a person has given their lives to serve the Lord, there must be a reason for what seems to be an extreme decision. Yet, people observe our lives every day and see evidence that we do indeed serve a risen Savior. It is God’s love that draws us to Him. And it is the love that we show one another that also points back to His love for us, which leads us to the final point this morning.
We Will Be Assured of Our Salvation When We Love One Another Well
We Will Be Assured of Our Salvation When We Love One Another Well
There are many examples given in scripture that all people are to be loved. However, it seems that this passage is referencing love within Christian community.
In verses 9, 10, and 11, the reference, whether it is love or hate, is always having to do with a brother. I want to apply this passage with our remaining time talking about love to your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Let’s go a bit more broad first and talk about how we interact with other followers of Jesus? Do you speak well of other congregations and pray that the Kingdom would be built through their efforts? I’m afraid that we have a tendency to speak poorly of other churches because they don’t do church the way that we do. But that is not the loving way we ought to act.
Do you love your fellow brother? Think about the people here in this room with you. Do you act as though you love them? Not just tolerating them but do you love them? John says that if you love them, you abide in Jesus, who is the light. However, do you have disdain for your brother?
We have a culture where we love to pick on one another here in this church but I often wonder how much of that is truly in love and how much of it is hate veiled in what we would call harmless picking.
I want to challenge you this morning to draw in close to one another. God has instituted the local church as His divine vehicle for our growth, His glory, and our pleasure. But that is only possible when we love one another well.
As we respond, simply ask yourself, is my salvation clear based on how I love my brothers and sisters?