Love One Another

MEMORY VERSE: “He that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness bath blinded his eyes.” —I John 2:11

I JOHN 2:7-11; 3:11-18

IN LAST week’s lesson we found the Apostle John using the two contrasting words, “light” and “darkness.” In this lesson he dwells considerably on two other words which have opposite meanings; namely, “love” and “hate.” But there is a relationship between these words. For example, in our memory verse we are told that one who hates “his brother is in darkness.” And in verse 10 we read, “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light.”

In I John 1:5 we are informed “that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” And the Apostle John also tells us that “God is love.” (I John 4:8) Thus as we rid our hearts of hate and fill them with love we are growing in godlikeness; and we will also be walking in the light.

What is love? It is the principle of unselfishness which causes a Christian to lay down his life for others, especially for his brethren in Christ. Jesus admonished his disciples to love one another as he loved them, and we know that Jesus sacrificed his life for his disciples and, in fact, for the entire world of mankind.

This truth is contained in I John 3:16, but unfortunately the thought is blurred by a poor translation. The Common Version says that we perceive the love of “God” because he laid down his life for us. However, the word “God” is not in the Greek text at all. Most other translations use the word “Christ”, the obvious reason being that it was Christ, not God, who laid down his life. The New English Bible reads, “It is by this that we know what love is: that Christ laid down his life for us. And we in our turn are bound to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

If we were to limit our definition of love to one word, “unselfishness” would be close. At the same time, there are various aspects of love which it is well to keep in mind. The Apostle Paul mentions a number of these in I Corinthians 13:4-8. We quote from the New English Bible:

“Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offence. Love keeps no score of wrongs; does not gloat over other men’s sins, but delights in the truth. There is nothing love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope, and its endurance. Love will never come to an end”

How obvious it is that love and hate cannot rule in the heart at the same time! John wrote, “This is the message that ye heard from the beginning [of Jesus’ ministry], that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.” (ch. 3:11,12) God had accepted Abel’s sacrifice, and had rejected Cain’s. He had said that there would be enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, or Satan. And in the murder of Abel we see the first evidence of this enmity. Since Cain was of the “wicked one,” or Satan, his act of violence evidently was prompted by Satan, seemingly in an effort to destroy the “Seed” of promise.—Gen. 3:14,15

And all upon whom God has manifested his favor since that time have been the targets of Satan. Jesus said that the Pharisees of his day were of their father the Devil, and they persecuted Jesus unto death. John wrote, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” Satan still uses whatever means he can to vent his hate upon God’s people. But eventually he will be “bruised” under the feet of the promised “Seed,” and through the “Seed” selfishness and hate will be dispelled, and love will be made to fill the earth. This will be accomplished through the thousand-year reign of Christ.—Rom. 16:20

God wants our love to be more than words. He wants it to be genuine and wholehearted—a love that expresses itself in sacrifices on behalf of others, particularly our brethren. A love that also expresses itself in zealously making known the glad tidings of the kingdom. Only those who now love in deed and in truth may hope to live and reign with Christ.

QUESTIONS

What two words are used in contrast in this lesson?

Define true, godlike love.

How has Satan manifested his hatred toward God’s people throughout the ages?

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