LOVE ONE ANOTHER

1 John 3:11-18 

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.  We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.  Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.  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?  Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 

The message of God to love one another has been with us since Adam and Eve.  For why should we hate?  Only if our deeds are evil shall we harbor hate in our hearts towards our brothers. 

It is the world that hates us; but it is our brothers that we love.  If we harbor hate in our hearts towards our brothers, we only abide in death.  Jesus came and laid down his life for us that we would have life.  And so, we in turn ought to lay down our lives for our brothers 

If I have goods from the world and see my brother in need, but close my heart against him, then God’s love cannot abide in me.  It is through me abiding in Jesus that I have love for my brother. 

As we are little children in the kingdom of  God, let us love in deed and in truth, not just in word and talk. 

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS 

Is it hard to abide in this world?  Jesus makes it easy to abide; He asks that we open our heart to Him, and He will dwell there.  If Jesus dwells in my heart, then abiding with Him should be the easiest thing in the world. 

Abiding becomes hard when the values of the world creep in.  Matthew 13:22 describes these as the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 

Fruitfulness is being effective in the Kingdom, and is described as allowing Jesus to build our faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love (2 Peter 1:4-8). 

Lord, thank You for building my faith with Your provision from the treasures of the Kingdom, blessing me with fruitfulness.  Thank You for abiding in me so that I can abide in You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.