10.24.24. Obey Me!

1 John 3 Love One Another

John, in writing to his readers reminds them of the gospel message: For this is the gospel message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another. So the question before us is this: are we obeying those words as evidence that we are children of God? What does love one another look like practically day after day after day? John answers that question: “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.” 

Later John would write the words of the Lord to the seven churches. To the church in Ephesus he would write: I have this against you: you have left your first love. When you first loved Christ you were willing to share the love of Christ with anyone, but now your fears and daily ministrations have kept you busy but not in prayer and fasting. Where is your first love? Why are you not loving others as an example of your first love? 

The whys accumulate and one day we will stand before him to answer that question. Until then, are you busy about many things but your first love has diminished and you do out of duty, not out of love? Again to the church in Ephesus Jesus commands that we remember from what high state you have fallen and repent! Love one another.