This verse doesn’t mean that as long as we don’t murder others, we are OK! But it shows that the actions show the heart. Why? Most likely when he saw Abel he felt even more guilty and was convicted of his own sin because he knew he didn’t love god like Abel did. He grew jealous of Abel’s success, leading him to hate his brother and finally kill him. But his actions show us clearly that he did not really belong to God. The application of how to love might be different (in the Old Testament it might require taking care of your neighbor’s ox), but the principle is the same.Ģ. Neither have they changed in the two millennium since then. God’s standard and His principles did not change in the first century AD before 1 John was written. John often uses the phrase “from the beginning.” This is because the true gospel does not change. Jesus showed His love by giving His life for us. God showed us His love by sending Christ. Loving others is one of the best ways to do this. As believers we must try to emulate God and be like Him. But we can follow God’s examples of love. Both are very important for believers, but since we are not the judge of others we can’t exercise justice in the same way that God does. The other is love, which includes His grace and mercy. One is justice, which includes His hatred of sin and holiness. God’s characteristics can fall into two very broad categories. You could go as far as to say that love is THE distinguishing mark of a believer. Loving others is continuously taught throughout the Bible, including the Old Testament. Love is also a major theme in 1, 2, and 3 John and is also touched on in Revelation. In the gospel of John, he records many of Jesus’ discords on love to His disciples. John is very consistent that believers need to love one another. John 15:12 – My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.ġ Peter 1:22-23 – Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.ġ. Romans 5:5 – And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.ġ Thessalonians 4:9 – Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. Can you give some examples in the Bible of someone who did show Christlike love to others?.What motivates us to not love the people around us?.Does this just mean that love is not killing?.Based on Scripture, what would you see are the central mark or marks of a believer?.In what other Scriptures prior to this had it been taught to love one another?.Was John teaching them something new (to love one another)?.We are commanded to love one another (11-12) Love in action gives us confidence before God (16-22) Loving others is evidence that we have eternal life (13-15)
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