Love One Another

Read John 13 and 17. Francis Schaeffer said this about the injunction given in these passages about believers loving one another:

"Our love will not be perfect, but it must be substantial enough for the world to be able to observe or it does not fit into the structure of the verses in John 13 and 17. And if the world does not observe this among true Christians, the world has a right to make two awful judgments which these verses indicate: That we are not Christians and that Christ was not sent by the Father."

Two things stand out to me about this aspect of the Christian life. First is that it is an essential priority. Francis Schaeffer highlights this when says that if the church fails to love one another it indicates that we are not Christians and that Christ was not sent by the Father. Second is that it is impossible. On our own and in our flesh we will never be able to love one another. Because of this I offer four exhortations:

1. Pray that God will give you a heart to love people who are difficult to love.
2. Pray that God will give you grace to forgive those that have wronged you.
3. Pray for and keep your eyes open for opportunities to demonstrate the love of Christ.
4. Pray for the courage to ask those you have wronged for forgiveness.

We are told that the evidence of our new birth is the love we show for one another. In order to love one another we need the Spirit of God to produce in us the fruit of the gospel. The same gospel that called us must sustain and sanctify us. This is yet another reminder that it is all about Christ.