Love and Hatred

¹¹ For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. ¹² Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. ¹³ Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.¹⁵ Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

¹⁹ This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ²¹ Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God ²² and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. ²³ And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. ²⁴ The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

1 John 3:11-24

At Harvest today, there were a few baptisms that took place, and one of them shared their testimony and they pointed out this verse that really hit home. It was verse 20.

 ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 

There are so many times where my mind has gotten the best of me, where there are constant negative thoughts, left right and centre, thinking I'm not good enough, tearing down my confidence, and so many times, ive beat myself down endless times. But this verse, was comforting, knowing God is greater, he knows all and he knows better.

After seeing this, i decided to look into the passage surrounding the verse more, and i found this passage on love and hatred. Love has always been a huge thing in life, its what everyone strives for, to be loved, to love, songs, movies, tv shows are about it, there's nothing bigger than love. But while i read the passage, many bits and pieces stood out to me.

"we should love one another" (v.11)

of course! as said, we as humans were made to love and to be loved. we crave relationships, and we should love one another. this includes, everyone from friends to strangers to enemies. God calls us to love everyone and to accept everyone. We're not called to look down on others or be judging towards those around us. Can you love unconditionally?

"anyone who does not love, remains in death" (v.14)

the passage uses the analogy of murder in verse 15, saying hate is equivalent to murder, and anyone who murders does not have eternal life. I think here we can clearly take away that hate, and having grudges against someone is sinful, and if we hate, we are not reflecting Christ, and if we do not reflect Christ appropriately, it questions us as a believer. Are you a true follower of Christ? I understand hate can easily build up if someone did something wrong against you, but if you can learn to accept and forgive, then God will forgive you too.

"Jesus Christ laid down his life for us" (v.16)

that is what love is. sacrifice. to lay down your life for one another. i've learnt that sacrifice is the great form of love. Whether if its to sacrifice your time to help someone out, sacrifice money by donating it to the poor and the needy, or to sacrifice your warm coat to help a cold homeless man, it shows that you able to give something up, to be thinking of others before yourself. God gave up his son, the biggest, the ultimate sacrifice. because he loves you and me.

"let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth" (v.18)

actions do speak louder than words. i've learnt this at missions trips, where your simple acts of service can strongly touch the hearts of those you're reaching out to. On my first missions to Quebec, i had to opportunity to spend a week with lovely kids, and long story short, within the span of four days, one of the kids were able to give up his necklace for me (that i pointed out that i liked at the beginning of the camp). the fact that a 7 year old could give something of his away, after interacting with a stranger for four days hit me hard. I never really spoke about Christ explicitly, but he could feel the love for Christ through my actions.

"to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us" (v.23)

those are the two greatest commands. to believe and to love. there's nothing greater, its not complicated, two simple commands for us to follow, but when you think about it, are you following them?

verse of the day: John 15:12

¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.