We Know What Real Love Is Because Jesus Gave Up His Life For Us
Love in Word And In Truth
1 JOHN 3:15-18
“Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
”I John 3:15-18 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.3.15-18.NKJ
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John echoes Jesus' teaching that whoever hates another person is a murderer at heart (MATHEW 5:22-22).
We believers must show ourselves as different, as loving honest people, even toward those who wronged us.
Does not every one of us wrong God when we choose sin? Yet He shows no bitterness towards us, but rather, He sent His only begotten Son to take our place on a cross, that we might be saved.
Bitterness against someone is like a cancer growing within and will grow and grow and bring forth death.
My beloved, unless removed by the root, it will eventually destroy you. Bitterness comes through many roots, such as jealousy, pride, and offence, and un-forgiveness.
We believers know what real love is, because Jesus demonstrated His love when He gave up His life to pay our debt of sin on a cross, even though He Himself never sinned.
Real love is an action, not a feeling or an emotion. It produces selfless sacrificial giving.
God revealed His love to us-“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
John 3:16-17 NKJV
The greatest act of love is giving oneself for others, by serving others with no thought of receiving anything in return (JOHN 15:13).
Sometimes it is easier to say we will die for others rather than to truly live for them, which involves putting others needs before our own. Jesus taught this same principle of love in John 15:13.
Verses 17-18 gives an example of how to give up our life for others-to help those in need without expectation of reward. This is similar to James' teaching (JAMES 2:24-17).
Do your actions show that you really love others? Do you hold a grudge against anyone? Grudges not only come when someone has wronged us, but also through jealousy and offence, and are held in place by pride; furthermore, if not dealt with through repentance, shall bring about death. “A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.”
Proverbs 14:30 NKJV
Jealousy and pride are like a cancer growing within. Jesus said, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.””
Mark 7:21-23 NKJV
Are you as generous as you should be with your money, possessions, and time?
My brethren, actions speak louder than words; now is the time to humble yourself before God and ask Him to help you remove all jealousy and pride, and to soften your heart that you can make a firm decision to forgive all who have wronged you.
Now my brethren is the time to get serious and sacrificially serve God and others by the leading of the Holy Spirit. That is love and opens the door to life, because when you choose to forgive others their sin, our Father in heaven will forgive you yours (MATHEW 6:14-15).
My beloved, we are all individual parts of one body, the body of Christ (EPHESIANS 4:11), and each has a part to play. Jealousy, pride, and selfish ambitions bring division in the church.
It’s not us who choose our part, but the head, and every member falls into one of the categories of Christ’ five fold ministry, apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, and evangelist and are gifted accordingly to help and edify one another.
“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.“
I Corinthians 12:12-31 NKJV
That’s Jesus way, and His way works.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
