"Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes." 1 John 2:7-11 NIV
I have read this passage of scripture many times over the years, but I don't believe I have ever fully realized what these new and old commandments are that John is referencing. I knew that John was referencing the love of Jesus, but have never taken it much further. I did some additional reading in my trusty online commentary and found that John is referring to the commandment in the Old Testament of "Love thy neighbor as thyself." and the commandment in the New Testament of "As I have loved you, so you must love one another." (John 13:34 NIV)
Before Jesus spent time on this earth there was really no comparison of how to love except for the way a person loved himself. However, with the birth of Jesus, his death and resurrection, the world saw a new kind of love. The love that Jesus has for each one of us. A love that loves us when we don't deserve to be loved. A love that loves us when we are not lovable. A love that is sacrificial. Sacrificial even to death on the cross.
As Christians, we must have this kind of love to walk in the light of God. We must be able to love rather than hate. We must be able to forgive instead of holding on until it makes us bitter ourselves.
Showing this kind of love is one of the ways we can show the world we are Christians. There are many people out there that don't understand forgiveness. What a wonderful way to show them what God can and will do for them if we have hearts full of forgiveness for our fellow man!
Once again John has showed us how we can walk in the light of God rather than the darkness. My prayer today is that each of us will choose to love with the love of God... a love that forgives, a love that is unconditional, a love that is sacrificial.
I have read this passage of scripture many times over the years, but I don't believe I have ever fully realized what these new and old commandments are that John is referencing. I knew that John was referencing the love of Jesus, but have never taken it much further. I did some additional reading in my trusty online commentary and found that John is referring to the commandment in the Old Testament of "Love thy neighbor as thyself." and the commandment in the New Testament of "As I have loved you, so you must love one another." (John 13:34 NIV)
Before Jesus spent time on this earth there was really no comparison of how to love except for the way a person loved himself. However, with the birth of Jesus, his death and resurrection, the world saw a new kind of love. The love that Jesus has for each one of us. A love that loves us when we don't deserve to be loved. A love that loves us when we are not lovable. A love that is sacrificial. Sacrificial even to death on the cross.
As Christians, we must have this kind of love to walk in the light of God. We must be able to love rather than hate. We must be able to forgive instead of holding on until it makes us bitter ourselves.
Showing this kind of love is one of the ways we can show the world we are Christians. There are many people out there that don't understand forgiveness. What a wonderful way to show them what God can and will do for them if we have hearts full of forgiveness for our fellow man!
Once again John has showed us how we can walk in the light of God rather than the darkness. My prayer today is that each of us will choose to love with the love of God... a love that forgives, a love that is unconditional, a love that is sacrificial.
2 Thoughts Shared:
Hi Melanie,
Thanks for praying for my grandfather~it means so much to me that people care. His symptoms are still baffling to the doctors, but they have at least helped to ease the severity of the symptoms.
I wonder what God is trying to tell me. I just read your post on forgiveness after opening an email about the lifegroup questions for this weekend. Yep, they were on forgiveness! And I visited a blog right before yours that focused the last post on forgiveness. I must really need this message! LOL!
Have a wonderful weekend, Melanie!
hi melanie!!
i too had a very hard time understanding this passage not until i found this page and understand it.. I praise and thank God for your life.. You are a great help to other Christians. May you continue to post your understandings about the Bible in this page and an instrument to God.. THANK YOU SO MUCH! i couldn't say more.. GOD BLESS YOU and your family!! ---mine <3
Post a Comment