“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

“We love because He first loves us.  If anyone says, ‘I love God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar.  For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.  And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love His brother.” 1 John 4: 19-21

God is clearly saying to us that loving Him, and loving our brothers and sisters go as a single package.  We cannot separate it . We should not say we love God, who resides within us, but show hate to those who reside with us in this world.

 The Word says, “Hate evil, Love good.” (Amos 5:15)  Hate is in the world – evil is in the world, this we see and know.  God hates evil, and certainly so should we.  It should be dealt with, and removed from our lives as we give it to the Lord, and follow His leading.  But let us remember, God loved us while we yet sinners. (Romans 5:8)  Even though we were doing evil things, He had mercy on us, and showed His love, and grace to us through His Son, Christ Jesus.  He hated our sins, but He loved us.

So it should be for us.   When we accept Christ Jesus into our lives, we are born again.  We are then a new creation, a child of God with a Spirit of Love within – the Holy Spirit.  We become as one with Him, we become one with all mankind.  We love God, we love our brothers and sisters.  Not their evil, – them.  We have the power within to show love without.  Though we may have to deal with their hate and their evil ways even to the point of separating ourselves from them if they persist in it, we must do it in love; praying that they shall receive His grace, and mercy, and love, and walk in His light.  We want His best, Christ Jesus for them. “We love because He first loved us.”

As the Apostle Paul wrote, “I pray that you, being rooted and established in Love, may have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Be blessed, and bless others in His love.

Poppa B.