Who do Ya Love?
Who do you love? Like, for real… Who come’s to your mind when you think of someone that you love? A parent, child, spouse or friend might be our first answer, but the Apostle John argues that among those listed should always be our brothers and sisters in Christ.
It’s important to distinguish first that love is a choice. This means that while love is not always easy, it is always necessary. This topic was kind of a passion project for John who wrote about it continually throughout his epistles and when referencing himself in his gospel called himself, “the one whom Jesus loved”.
John had been radically changed by the love of Jesus and writes that this fundamental shift is elemental for us to experience as followers of Jesus as well. (1 John 3:11) This is what John has been saying since the beginning of his time preaching about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. John was teaching here that love is, for us as Jesus followers, the confirmation of our faith to those within the family of God and the motivation for our own acts of service towards one another.
He begins by showing us that authentic love when displayed to each other is the confirmation of the change that has happened in us through the Holy Spirit. John compares the un-loving, professing christian to Cain, who murdered his brother out of jealousy and anger. Here he compares hatred with in us to murder! This is a pretty serious allegation.
It is true that we can do all the “church things”, but without love, our sacrifice holds no weight. Just as the heart behind Cain’s sacrifice was wrong and God rejected it, so will God reject our good deeds if we are holding hatred toward one another.
The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians said that good works or spiritual deeds without love are like a “noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1) My mind instantly goes to the toy monkey smashing the symbols together over and over. While it might be entertaining for some there is no substance in the effort or energy expended.
True authentic love for one another is the greatest confirmation of the work of God in us! This doesn’t mean we always agree, but it means we always chose to love because of what Jesus has done in us.
Love is also the motivation for our goodness towards one another. John says that the church should be a place were we don’t just say that we love one another, but truly work to serve and live out love towards one another.
This is reflective of the way the early church is described in Acts 2:43-46. Love for Jesus motivates us to love one another, which in turn motivates us to serve each other. The church should be a place of kindness and service. We of all people should be a place seeking to serve and love one another with the gifts God has given us!
Jesus said that the greatest among us would be the one who serves! (Matthew 23:11) I can’t help but think how we would impact our community and world if we, the people of God, truly loved one another.
