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Loving One Another

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is fulfilled in us.(1 John 4:12)

What is John saying here? that loving one another is proof that God abides in us? And if we know of His love and how he loves the brethren then we would love one another like he loves us? Brotherly love is a sign of his agape love being fulfilled in us, of us being founded in his great love which brings us into maturity. Loving one another speaks of;

  • of our understanding of God's love for us
    • this we have come to know agape love, because he demonstrates laying down his life on our behalf. Also we are indebted to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers.(1 John 3:16-17)
    • For this is how God loved the world...(John 3:16)
    • God commends his love for us while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.(Romans 5:8)
    • See what great love the Father has given us, that we are called children of God also we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.(1 John 3:1)
    • And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.(1 John 4:16)
    • Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.(1 John 4:7-8)
    • But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.(Ephesians 2:4-5) 
    • And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.(Romans 5:5)
    • For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence, in love.(Ephesians 1:4)
  • of walking in good works.
    • And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.(1 John 3:23) 
    • Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know you. Depart from me, all you workers of lawlessness!’(Matthew 7:22-23) 
    • By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.(John 13:35)
    • Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another,(1 Thessalonians 4:9)
    • not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.(2 John 1:4-5)
  • of knowing Jesus.  
    • And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.(1 John 2:3)
    • And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers, you were refusing to help me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.(Matthew 25:41-46) 
    • Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.(1 John 4:7)
    • Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. (John 15:13-14) 
  • of the love of God abiding in us
    • But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?(1 John 3:17)
    • But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,...(Galatians 5:22)
  • of a testimony to the world of God's glory, that he sent Jesus and loves them
    • that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. And the glory like as giving me I give them so that they exist one just as we are, I in them and you in me so that existing completely one so that the world may know that you sent me and I love them just as you love me.(John 17:23)
  • of a testimony to the world that we are disciples of Jesus
    • 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 13:35)
  • of love seen in the early church, 
    • And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.(Acts 4:32-35)
  • of passing from death to life in Christ
    • We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.(1 John 3:14)
  • of loving God
    • If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.(1 John 4:20)
  • of the separation and distinction from the world
    •  And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren.(Matthew 12:49,50) 
    •  If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.(Luke 14:26)
    • But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,(Philippians 3:20)
    • Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.(1 John 2:15) 
    • If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own...(John 15:19)
  • of obedience
    • 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.(John 13:34)
    • This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.(John 15:12)
    • This is My command to you: Love one another.(John 15:17)
    • And now I urge you, dear lady--not as a new commandment to you, but one we have had from the beginning--that we love one another."(2 John 1:5)
    • Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.(John 14:21)
    • In this knowing because we love the children of God, on occasion of loving God and obeying his commandments.(1 John 5:2)
  • of being servants of God, being conformed to the image of Christ
    • like as free people and not like as using freedom as a cover up for
      depravity rather like as God. Honor all, love the brotherhood, reverence God, honor the king.(1 Peter 2:16-17)
    • With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,(Ephesians 4:2)
    • whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.(1 John 2:6)
    • As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.(John 13:34-35)
    • and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.(Ephesians 5:2) 
  • of fulfilling the Mosaic Law
    • Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.(Romans 13:8)
  • of the role of a pastor, a shepherd
    • this we have come to know agape love, because he demonstrates laying down his life on our behalf. Also we are indebted to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers.(1 John 3:16-17)
    • Jesus said to them, 'you know the ones thinking to be leaders of the nations lord over them and their great exercise authority over them. Now, it is not to be so among you rather whosoever wills to become great among you exists your servant.(Mark 10:42-43)
    • Nor be called leaders, because Christ is your leader. The greatest among you shall be your servant.(Matthew 23:10-11)
    • If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.(Mark 9:35)
  • of purity and maturity in Christ
    • Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,(1 Peter 1:22)
    • Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.(Philippians 2:2) 
    • For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;(2 Corinthians 5:14)
    • For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.(Galatians 5:13) 
    • His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly love, and brotherly love with agape love. (2 Peter 1:1-7)
    • Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.(Ephesians 5:25-26)
    • and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.(1 Thessalonians 3:12-13)
    • Love is the bond that leads to maturity. (Colossians 3:14)
    • The goal of this charge is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.(1 Timothy 1:5)
  • of how important it is for growth of the Church
    • but speaking truth in love grows up into Him who is the head, Christ...(Ephesians 4:13-16)
    • And over all these virtues is love, which is the bond that leads to maturity. (Colossians 3:14)
    • set your hearts on the higher gifts also, yet I will show you a way accordingly beyond all measure... if I speak... prophecy... know all mysteries and all knowledge... if I have all faith... give everything away... surrender my body... but do not have agape love it accomplishes nothing.(1 Corinthians 12:31-1 Corinthians 13:1-4)
    • By sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.(1 Corinthians 8:12)
    • If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.(1 Corinthians 12:26) 
    • Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.(Romans 12:9)
    • Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.(Romans 12:10)
    • Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:18)
    • No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.(Romans 8:37-39) 
    • let us do good to everyone, now especially to those who are of the household of faith.(Galatians 6:10)
    • if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, but turns his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?(1 John 3:17)
  •  of a reward for loving one another, His disciples
    • And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.(Matthew 10:39-42)
Loving one another is a sign of a church that loves and is obedient to Christ. While missions and outreach to the community are good, loving one another is foremost, a testimony from us to the world that Jesus is from God and that we are his disciples. And it is a command, so to disobey, for whatever reason, says what? And if you reason you can turn your heart from your brother as if as a sacrifice for the sake of spreading the gospel, have you not contradicted Christ? 

for freedom Christ has set us free, so do not be entangled again to a yoke of slavery.(Galatians 5:1)

While Paul was speaking to the church at Galatia where false brothers had come in teaching them to neglect grace, and to justify themselves by works of the Law, there are other false brothers who would enslave men through good works through the flesh. Though they do mighty works in the name of Jesus, claiming it is love, there will be a lack of sincere love for one another. This love for one another Jesus said is what separates the ones who know him from the ones who do not, "come the ones blessed by my Farther and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world... when I was hungry you fed me, when I was thirsty you gave me a drink... when did we see you hungry?... insofar as you did it to the least of these my brethren you did it unto me."(Matthew 25:40)

Love for one another speaks of God abiding in us and his love being fulfilled in us. The love of God is fulfilled in us when we keep his words and love one another. In other words God's love abiding in us bears fruit of obedience seen in loving one another.  
    • If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.(John 14:15)
    • If anyone says, "I know Him," but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.(1 John 2:4)
    • If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love.(John 15:10) 
    • 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.(John 13:34)
    • but whoever keeps his word, truly in that person the love of God is fulfilled. In knowing because existing in him, the one who claims to abide in God ought to walk as Jesus walked.(1 John 2:5-6)
    • if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is fulfilled in us.(1 John 4:12) 


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