Love Like He Really Lived

Scripture: 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 5-6

Observation: 10 commandments in the OT, Jesus reduces these to 2—Love God and Love others. Here, John highlights one. I’d think he would pick loving God, but here (as Jesus does in John 13:34) he highlights loving one another. But the love he is commanding has to be done in the context of truth (v. 3,4). What truth? The truth in verse 7: Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. So loving others in the reality of Christ’s coming is the highest expression of love.

Application: I love others, but not always in the reality of Christ’s coming. I love them like a nice guy would, or a good neighbor. I love them in my natural friendliness, but not with the power and truth of Christ’s coming. Does the coming of Christ change the way I love others? Or would I be just as friendly if Christ had never lived?

Prayer: God, help me in my relationships to go beyond friendliness, and love others like you would—in truth. Sometimes this might mean tough words or extra effort. In fact, there are two people in my life that need tough words and extra effort today. Help me to love them with your love-the love that came in the flesh and sacrificed. If I love you, I will love them.