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More I John commentaries
I John 1:1-4
Is your fellowship grounded in God’s Word?
I John 1:5-7
What effects your relationships?
I John 1:8-10
Sins’ reality and remedy
I John 2:1-6
Tests of true knowledge
I John 2:7-11
God’s people are to love one another
I John 2:12-14
Three categories of believers
I John 2:15-17
Worldliness is a matter of the heart
I John 2:18-22
The opponent of Christ
I John 2:23-25
Jesus and God are one
I John 2:26-29
Twisting the Scriptures
I John 3:1-3
A clear description of God’s Children
I John 3:4-8
Reasons why Jesus died on the cross
I John 3:9-12
I have two dogs living in me
I John 3:13-15
Don’t be surprised if the world hates you
I John 3:16-18
Love is an action, not a feeling
I John 3:19-24
Doctrine and love are both needed
I John 4:1-3
Don’t believe everything you hear
I John 4:4-6
Sure tests for true teaching
I John 4:7-12
Love is an action
I John 4:13-16
The relationship of belief to love
I John 4:17-21
Pretending is not a mark of maturity
I John 5:1-5
What must I do to be saved?
I John 5:6-12
Proof that Jesus is God
I John 5:13-17
Instrument for getting God’s will done on earth
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God’s people are to love one another
I John 2:7–11
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
A woman seeking counsel from Dr. George W. Crane, the psychologist, confided that she hated her husband, and intended to divorce him. “I want to hurt him all I can,” she declared firmly.“Well, in that case,” said Dr. Crane, “I advise you to start sho … More
Up to this point John has been talking about “the commandments” in general; but now he focuses on one single commandment and that is that God’s people love one another (vv. 7-8). Although the Old Testament Law required love for one another (Leviticus 19:18), Christ gave an entirely new picture on what true love really meant. He illustrated love by the very life that he lived. He never showed hatred or malice toward anyone but had a love for all kinds of people, even His enemies. Christian love is not a shallow sentimental emotion that Christians try to “work up” so they can get along with each other. It is a matter of will (making up your mind that you will allow God’s love to reach others through you) rather than an emotion (attraction and affection for certain persons). When a Christian says that he loves the brethren, while he actually hates another believer he is a liar (v. 9).
What happens to a believer who does not love the brethren? It brings the following tragic results:
Hatred makes a man miserable, but love always brings him joy. Genuine love never keeps records. I need to make sure that I genuinely love other believers and not just say that I do.
Application
Perhaps the best thing I can do right now is to search my heart to see if I hold anything against a brother. If I do, I need to get in touch with them and ask for forgiveness and make things right.
I John 2:7-11 (English Standard Version)
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 commandment 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.
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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