“LOVE IS FROM GOD”

7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”

1 John 4:7

Why does the Bible put emphasis on loving one another? Shouldn’t be faith enough?

Yesterday, we learned that if the biblical Jesus is the object of our faith, then we belong to God.

John shifts his topic to focus on love. He tells his readers—whom he calls “beloved”— to love one another. The Greek verb used is “agapao,” which refers to a sacrificial love that seeks the best interest of the person being loved. He calls the community of believers to commit to mutual love as it is revealed in the very Person of God.

The Apostle declares that whoever loves has been “born of God.” In other translations, the term used is “from God.” Either way, John simply says that God is the Source of love and anyone who has a personal relationship with Him is a person marked by selfless love.

Mutual love is a critical biblical command for all believers. It is so important that the Lord Jesus before He was arrested, told His disciples to set their differences aside and decide to love one another.

34 “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.”

John 13:34-35

Jesus knew that His disciples’ competitive spirit and desire for personal prestige would distract them from accomplishing their mission. When He’s gone, they would be the subject of people’s hatred and violence, so they needed to work as a team. And for teamwork to take place, each of them should let go of their personal ambitions.

The same command is given to us. Regardless of our perception of other believers, we have to make a firm choice to love them as we love ourselves. You don’t have to like someone in order to love them. Love is not fondness of someone; it is a disposition to seek one’s best interest even if it means inconvenience on our part.

Do you have this love in your heart?

Pursue the Savior today!