◄ What Does 1 John 2:8 Mean? ►

It was the Father's love that Christ came to display, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. And as His children we are to reflect this holy love of God in our lives.

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God is Love, and by this.. the love of God is manifested within us, in that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. From the start of His ministry to His cruel crucifixion on Calvary's Cross, Jesus taught His disciples to love one another, with a godly love. "Love one another as I have loved you, by this shall all men know that ye are My disciples."

The love of God for us is displayed, from the beginning of Christ's ministry - it is displayed from His birth in Bethlehem to His sacrificial offering on the Cross and glorious Resurrection. Indeed, God purposed to redeem fallen man before the foundation of the world and His work of reconciliation continues unabated today. SURELY - if, while we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Our love for the Lord has nothing to do with our goodness. It is because He loved us first and determined to redeem us through the precious blood of His only begotten Son. Our loving, heavenly Father did not spare His dearly beloved Son, but delivered Him up to be crucified for us all - so that by faith in His sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection, we might be redeemed and declared holy - by faith.

If His amazing love for us is the glorious truth of our reconciliation to God.. how can we fail to believe that He will not keep His many precious promises - which are YES and AMEN in Christ. How can we fail to trust that He will complete the good work that He has started in each of our lives?

Love is the essence of God which permeates His character and John is explaining here, that he was not calling us to adopt a new and different commandment. He was simply reiterating the same glorious commandment that he himself had heard, from the lips of the Lord Jesus, just before His sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection - so many years before.

"A new commandment I give unto you," were the staggering words of Jesus to His disciples that day. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. As I have loved you - you are also to love one another. By this, all men will know that you are My disciples... if you have love, one for another."

However, that beautiful, old command that the Lord Jesus gave to His disciples only hours before His death, to love as HE loved you, is as fresh and new today as it was when first spoken to His disciples in the upper room - or written by John, many years later, in his first epistle.

The supernatural love which was demonstrated in Christ's life towards His beloved disciples, can equally be manifested in our lives, for Jesus is the Light of the world, Who was sent by the Father to dispel the shadows of darkness.  

And we, who are His children, have been assigned to be lights in this darkened, sin-sick world, in Christ's absence. We are to shine as lights in the world and reflect the love of God in our lives. We are to shine the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ into the lives of others, in word and in deed. We are to love as Christ loved us and be used by Him to dispel the darkness by proclaiming the truth - because JESUS, the True Light has come into the world and is already shining forth the truth.

The enemy, who has sought to shroud the truth of the glorious gospel of God, and seeks to prevent it from shining into the hearts of those that trust His word, was defeated at Calvary.... and we have been given ALL we need for life and godliness. We have the power of the indwelling Spirit shining in our hearts, and we are to act as gleaming mirrors of Christ's beauty, reflecting His love and grace  - as we abide in Him and He in us.

Let us never hide behind self-inspired excuses, for we have been enabled to love as Christ loved us, through His Holy Spirit. However, we are only enabled to display this supernatural love, as we appropriate ALL that is ours in Him. It is IN Him and BY Him and FOR Him, that we are enabled to become the 'light of Christ', shining in a shrouded world, where by faith, darkness is passing away as the glorious Light of the gospel of grace floods into the lives of those that are saved by grace through faith in Him - as witnesses of the truth.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the beautiful commandment of Christ, to love as He loves, which is ever old, yet ever new. Thank You that the thick, gloomy darkness, that has shrouded the heart of man for so long, was overcome by Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. Thank You that the darkness of sin, Satan, death, and hell is passing away and that the true Light of Life is already shining in our hearts, and in the lives of all who are saved by grace through faith in Him. May I be a true witness to Your goodness and grace, and may I learn to love as Christ loved, and to mirror His supernatural love in my life, for His praise and glory. This I ask in Jesus' name AMEN.