THE KEY TO PERFECT LOVE

16th OCTOBER 2021

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”  – John 13:34

 

Loving each other is not a new command per se. It was already there in the Old Testament. Leviticus 19:18 says, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”. What’s new is that Jesus is now the yardstick we live by and the power we live on.  First, how much love have we given to one another?

One very difficult commandment is the commandment to love one another.  It becomes complex when the commandment goes further to say we should love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Some of us flip over our bibles when we get to this point or glance through the topic. Why is this so? It is so basically because we are human beings and weak in the things of the spirit.

Even when the spirit is willing to follow this commandment, the flesh is weak and cannot comprehend the mystery of showing love to one another.  Love is a neutralizer; it neutralizes every negative, satanic, and demonic influence, howsoever perpetrated – whether in the spiritual or physical! Every Christian is under the obligation to love one another and love his neighbours. 

Today’s word reminds us about the need to love. Jesus says, “A new commandment I give you”—not a new suggestion, or a new idea, or a new possibility, or a new life-option, but a new commandment. We MUST LOVE OTHERS JUST THE WAY JESUS LOVED US.

When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He told them, “if then, I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. This means that we have to lay aside our status in showing love and become a servant of all. It also entails that we engage in practical deeds of helpfulness.

Living on the love of Jesus entails us taping into his vital life force – His power and spirit to conquer all things. By His power and nature, we are also given the capacity to love. This point becomes clear in John 15:9–10, which says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” The secret to perfect love is to abide in Jesus by obeying His commandments. Jesus says He can love because of His relationship with His Father – He abides in His Father’s love by obeying His Father’s commandments. This means that through obedience to God, Jesus can secure a permanent hold on His Father’s love.  This gives Jesus the power to love us in return only if we can abide in Him through obedience! 

Beloved, perfect love is possible only if we abide in Christ through obedience. Those who abide in Christ through obedience are not only loved in return; they are also given the power to express perfect love to others. Therefore, lean on Jesus today, and gain the capacity to love perfectly. By so doing, you will begin to experience a life of victory in all situations!

PRAYER

Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I declare you are merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Lord, I shall abide in your true love forever. Thank you, Father, for the fulfilment of my dreams and aspiration. AMEN

FURTHER READING: Philippians 2:7