Love One Another

What did Jesus mean when he said, "love one another"? Whatever love is, the words "one another" suggests it should be mutual, doesn't it? That is, I love you, and you love me, and that's mutual. Now, what if the all who are called "Christians" loved one another? Would we be as divided as we are? If a Catholic loved a Baptist, would they not work together to make their relationship work?

Of course, to answer these questions there should be an understanding of what Jesus meant when he said, "love." What is love as Jesus would have used it? To understand that, would we not consider what Jesus has done? In Ephesians 5.25, the apostle Paul wrote, "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church, and gave himself up for it." So, the actions of Jesus shows that love is sacrificial.

So, if a Catholic loved a Baptist, and the Baptist loved the Catholic, which one would be sacrificial? The answer, both. How that would work out exactly is anyone's guess since in the Bible there were no Catholics or Baptists when the Bible was being written.

However, there is something else we must consider for this topic to be complete. Where did the love of Christ come from? Did it not come from God, his Father? So, with God being the source of sacrificial love, would it not be the same among all who love one another?

If all Christians had sacrificial love for one another, would we constantly fight with one another over minutia? If we truly exhibited the love of God and the mind of Christ, would we not consider others as more important than ourselves, and to consider the needs of others, not just our own. Wouldn't that do away with selfishness and pride? And wouldn't that do away with division?

Of course, more important than loving one another is whether or not we love God. Didn't Jesus say that the great commandment is the love God with all your heart, soul and mind? Didn't Jesus also say that if you love him, you would obey him. So, do we not see here that love and obedience go together.

Jesus said according to Matthew 5.42, "Give to him that asks of you, and from him that would borrow from you do not turn away." Jesus also said, "love your neighbor as yourself." So, when your neighbor comes and needs toilet paper, are you going to turn them away?

Just how far does loving one another go? Does it end with giving material things when someone has a need? What if a brother or sister in Christ is facing some kind of injustice in Court, or from landlords. What did Jesus do with the woman caught in adultery. You can see it in John 8. The evidence was plain, she was guilty. Though what were the Pharisees trying to do with there questioning of Christ? Didn't they often put Jesus to the test with their questions. No doubt they were doing that here. What did Jesus do? Did he condemn her, and say take her away and stone her? No. He bent down and wrote in the sand and said, "He without sin cast the first stone." The Pharisees all left. Then what Jesus did next was show that woman love. He asked her where her accusers were, and she replied that there were none. What Jesus said is classic to the way Jesus was. He said, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." So, the expression of love is also mercy.

What a world this would be if we loved one another as Christ showed loved. Unfortunately, religion does not practice the love of Christ.