The Beloved Disciple's First Letter - Pt 6

 

Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new comman4dment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever 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 ESV).

 

John was very wise in his recognition that the previous instructions might be misinterpreted by false teachers (cf. 1 John 2:1-6). So, he gets very detailed in this paragraph today. Love for others is the guiding principle. During His earthly ministry, Jesus often dealt with His disciples’ love for others. Understandably, they often had trouble accepting the fact that they were to love their enemies, but the disciples also had difficulty understanding that they must truly and deeply love their Christian brothers and sisters. Peter, for example, tried to limit the times one must extend love and forgiveness toward his brothers when he asked Jesus if forgiving someone seven times was enough. Jesus, however, would put no limit on forgiveness and love, telling Peter that he must forgive a repentant offender an infinite number of times (cf. Matthew 18:21–35). Today’s passage makes it clear that the commandment we read about here is the commandment to love our fellow Christians.

 

One of the ways we can be assured we are in the light — that we know Christ — is we do not hate our brothers. If we do not love our fellow believers, we remain in the darkness of sin (vv. 9–11). This commandment is both old and new (vv. 7–8). It is old in the sense that the people of God were commanded to love and forgive their brothers and sisters from their hearts long before John wrote this letter (cf. Leviticus 19:17–18; John 13:34). It is new “in him” (v. 8) — in Jesus — meaning that the command to love others finds its fullest expression, definition, and example in the life and ministry of Jesus. As we are obedient to the Spirit, we will live out Jesus’ example by performing new acts of love toward others.

 

In Jesus we see the depth of love that we must extend to others. This depth is certainly revealed in the old covenant but is more clearly revealed in the new. Jesus defines love as forgiving others an infinite number of times (cf. Matthew 18:22) and in going the extra mile. Jesus Himself is the fullest expression of love since God is love, and Jesus is God. Jesus is the greatest example of love in that He laid down His life for the sake of His brothers. Abiding in Jesus means walking in the way He walked (v. 6). This means the command to love the brethren must be true in us as it is in Him (v. 8). Let us then love our fellow Christians.

 

When we are honest with ourselves, some Christians are easier to love than others. We all find certain people less offensive than others, and as a result, we will gravitate toward those we consider lovable. But Christ does not call us to love only those easy to love. After all, He Himself died for sinners. If we walk in the light we must love all of our fellow believers!