A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another
– John 13:34-35.
Many of us are familiar with the Ten Commandments. However, there is another ‘new’ commandment that has not received similar importance or mindshare. It is not due to its placement in an obscure portion of the Bible, but rather because many of us (preachers included) have confused it with Jesus’ summation of the Big 10 which sounds very similar: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.”
The Big 10 Vs. The 11th Commandment
The new commandment not found in the Old Testament, and was not given to the Israelites. It found in John 13:34 and given to Christ’s followers and is inherently different in these two counts
1. Love One Another.
The new commandment is not about loving God or loving the neighbor, but it is about loving one another. Jesus desired the world to recognize His disciples not by their notoriety or lack thereof, but by their love for each other (John 13:35). Our Lord, In His priestly prayer, asked God that His followers be ONE, yet sadly, we often remain a heavily splintered body, delighting in dragging each other through the mud.
2. Love One Another As Christ loved.
Another key distinction of the new commandment is this: We are commanded to love one another, as I (Jesus Christ) have loved you.
This love surpasses loving with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Our love towards one another (our fellow believers) must be as Christ loved us. When we discuss “Christ-like” love, we often focus solely on “sacrificial” love. There is more to it, and John 13 offers lesser-known insights into Christ-like love.
- Christ-Like Love Lasts:
In the business lexicon, the term “stick-to-itiveness” describes an entrepreneur’s ability to persevere and ‘stick-to-it’ until a task is completed. Our Lord never gave up on His disciples – He loved them all the way, to the very end (John 13:1). The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 8 that God’s love endures forever, and absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Our love toward one another, if it were to be Christ-like, should endure until the end. Unfortunately, it’s often becomes quid-pro-quo – our love lasts only as long as it’s reciprocated. - Knowledge is the key
The key to loving one another as Christ loved us is found in John 13:3-5. “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God, He raises from supper, laid aside his garments, took the towel and a basin of water and began washing His disciples feet. The knowledge that He had come from God and was returning to God, led Christ to humble Himself, take the form of a servant and obey even unto death, death on the cross.
If we truly know who we are – that we’re born of God, citizens of heaven, sojourners and that we belong to one body – the body of Christ, loving one another would not be a hassle at all – when one of us suffers, we all suffer, and when one of us is honored, we all rejoice.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your love – for giving your Son so we’d become your children and adopted into your family. And thank you for reminding us the importance of loving one another within the body of Christ.. The world which had hated you and hates you, hates us too. Please help us engrain this truth in our minds, to love one another – the sojourners and pilgrims that belong to the body of Christ. Let our love for one another be show all that that we are your disciples. We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus name, Amen.