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Read Introduction to John

 

12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

 

The love command of Jesus is at the core of following Him. Jesus boiled down the commands of verse 10 into one in verse 12.

12 This is My commandment,

Jesus has one primary command for His disciples.

that you love [continue to] one another

Mutual love among the disciples of Jesus is at the core of living for Jesus (Jn 13:34).

as I have loved [at one point] you.

The high standard of love among the followers of Jesus was to love like He loved them. They were to love one another on the model of Jesus’ love for them.

PRINCIPLE:

Genuine love for Jesus entails love for other believers.

APPLICATION:

Followers of Christ are to follow the model of Jesus in loving them. Cultivating mutual love among believers flows from Jesus’ protocols and application of them. Love for Jesus and others comes first from His inherent protocols. Who and what He is is the pattern for genuine living.

All the principles of Jesus for His followers can be incorporated into one principle—mutual love for other believers as our Lord loved us. Abiding in Christ, His words, and His love will allow us to love one another.

It is hard to love Jesus and then go out and do what we will rather than what He wills. If we allow this principle to dominate our lives, then it will govern every other aspect of who and what we are.

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