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Article Archive |
2007
Love One Another
by Jim Morris
One scripture stays close to my heart each day. I think of it often through hardships and tough times. It serves as an anchor of hope that defines who I am and what I must do in all circumstances. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Actually, Jesus called all of humanity to serve God's purpose. God created us in “His image” by love for love. The two greatest commandments are for us to love God and to love our neighbor (Mark 12:28-31).
Unfortunately, our sin-contaminated, selfish world does not know how to love God or people properly. Fortunately, Jesus defined the kind of love he desires when he said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).
The apostle Paul elaborated on Godly love, saying, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). Love is a verb! Love must be put to action to be real.
The apostle John said that love for God and love for people cannot be separated. “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him ... We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet 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. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:16b, 19-21).
Nevertheless, our greatest challenge in these wicked, last days is not to allow our love to grow cold. Jesus warns us, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:12-14).
Let us stand firm to the end in love! “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” AMEN!
01-24-07
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