1 John 3:11-24 NKJV
11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 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. 17 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?
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
John summarizes the whole Christian life at the end of today’s reading: “This is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another.” Faith toward God and love, specifically, toward “one another,” that is, toward our fellow Christians. This love for “one another” does not exclude love for our unbelieving neighbor. But there is a special kind and degree of love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, a first priority.
John reminds us of the hatred that Cain had for his biological brother Abel, because, spiritually, unbelieving Cain was not believing Abel’s brother at all. It should be no surprise, then, if the world hates believers. What would be surprising, what would be truly horrifying, is if Christians started hating—or failing to love—their fellow Christians.
This obviously applies most directly to those Christians with whom we interact on a regular basis, those with whom we gather together and receive Holy Communion together. But the command necessarily goes beyond that. If we recognize Christians in many of the Christian denominations around the world, then we must also love them.
What does love look like? St. Paul tells us to “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). Loving our fellow Christians includes telling them the truth, honestly and humbly, if they have fallen into sin or been deceived by false teachings. Yes, love even includes not gathering around the Lord’s Table with brothers who hold to some false teaching, as a witness and as a warning.
Love is shown through words. But it must also be shown through actions. Jesus showed us that most clearly by laying down His life for those whom He loved, setting a pattern for us. We should be ready to die for our brothers and sisters in Christ, too. And if we are ready to die for them, why wouldn’t we also be willing to do something far less drastic, like being kind to them or sharing material goods with them?
Our Father commands His children to believe in the name of Jesus and to love one another. Let us do our Father’s bidding! Let us pray: Father in heaven, stir up true love in our hearts, that we may also show it with our actions. Amen.