Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us with an everlasting love and calls us to be His witnesses in the world. I write to you today, not as one above you, but as a fellow servant of the Gospel, compelled by the Holy Spirit to stir up in us all a renewed commitment to the love that defines our faith.
The Word of God stands clear and unchanging: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34). Jesus spoke these words on the eve of His sacrifice, leaving us not just a suggestion, but a mandate sealed by His blood. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples,” He said, “if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). In a world torn by strife and selfishness, this call rings out as urgently today as it did then.
The Foundation of Love in Christ
Our ability to love flows from the love of God Himself. As the Apostle John declares, “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Through faith in Christ’s finished work on the Cross, we are justified, redeemed, and made new—not by our own merit, but by His grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). This is the wellspring of our love: not a burden we bear to earn salvation, but a joyful response to the One who gave everything for us.
Jesus showed us what love looks like—laying down His life for sinners like you and me (Romans 5:8). He didn’t wait for us to deserve it; He loved us while we were still far off. That’s the pattern we’re called to follow: a love that reaches out, not just to friends or those like us, but to the lost, the broken, even those who oppose us. For every soul bears the image of God, and every sinner is one for whom Christ died.
Living Love in a Divided Age
Look around, dear friends—the world is fractured. Families are split by bitterness, nations by conflict, and too often, even churches by disputes over things that fade in light of eternity. The poor cry out, the lonely ache, and the stranger stands at our door, while we’re tempted to turn inward. Yet Scripture calls us to a higher way.
Think of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). He didn’t ask who the man in the ditch was or what he believed—he saw a need and met it. That’s the love Christ expects of us: not just words, but deeds. James tells us faith without works is dead (James 2:17), and Paul says love is the greatest of all (1 Corinthians 13:13). So let’s roll up our sleeves—feed the hungry, help the hurting, share the hope we have in Christ. Not to earn God’s favor, but because we already have it.
The Church as a Family of Love
We’re not lone rangers in this walk of faith. God has made us a family, a body where “if one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Corinthians 12:26). Every believer is a priest, called to serve and build up the church (1 Peter 2:9). Our homes and congregations should be places where love is learned and lived—where kids see grace in action, where the weak find strength, and where all are pointed to Jesus.
Let’s watch our words, too. “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,” Paul writes, “but only such as is good for building up” (Ephesians 4:29). In a culture quick to curse and cancel, let’s speak life. Where there’s hate, let’s bring peace; where there’s despair, let’s shine the light of the Gospel.
The Power of Forgiveness
Love isn’t real without forgiveness. Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). He didn’t cap it at seven times—He said seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22). That’s tough, especially when the pain runs deep. But look to the Cross: “Father, forgive them,” He prayed, even as they mocked Him (Luke 23:34). If He can forgive us, we can forgive others by His strength.
Forgiveness isn’t weakness—it’s freedom. It doesn’t mean ignoring wrong, but trusting God to set it right. Bring your grudges to Him in prayer, and let His Spirit melt the hardness away. That’s how we love like Jesus.
The Joy of the Call
Here’s the good news: loving others isn’t just duty—it’s delight. “In this is love perfected with us… that we may have confidence for the day of judgment,” John writes (1 John 4:17). When we love, we taste the life God promised—a life abundant (John 10:10). Think of the early church, sharing all they had (Acts 2:44-45), or believers today who give sacrificially for others. They found joy because they found Jesus in the giving.
A Final Charge
So, my friends, let’s take up this call to love with all we’ve got. We don’t need fancy programs—just open hearts and the Word to guide us. Trust the Holy Spirit to lead you, lean on Scripture to teach you, and look to Christ to show you how. The world’s watching—let’s show them Jesus through our love.