1472. We Know by Our Love One Toward Another

We Know by Our Love One Toward Another

"Beloved, let as love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God" (1Jn_4:7).

We hear a great deal these days about universal brotherhood, about "the prevalence of love," "the contagion of good."

In spite of all these cries for brotherly love and world fellowship, the world is still a stage of factional strife; man is still lifting up his sword against his fellow-man; envyings, murders, and debates, still fill the air.

Wherein can true brotherly love be found?

1. Born-again ones alone can experience and manifest the love which is of God, for "Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love" (1Jn_4:7-8).

The Epistle of John speaks of the old commandment and of the new.

The old commandments were summed up in a double expression, and were written on two tables of stone. On the first stone, love to God was set forth in a fourfold statement. Upon the second stone, love to man was set forth in a sixfold statement.

The new commandment, however, summed up in, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God * * and thy neighbour as thyself" (see Deu_6:5; Lev_18:19) is not written upon the tables of stone, but upon the tables of the heart (see Heb_8:10).

This is one of John's great proofs of the new birth. The Law upon the tables of stone said: "This do, and thou shalt live," the Law, as written upon our hearts, says: "Thou dost live, therefore thou canst do."

The Law which of yore was weak through the flesh, is now fulfilled through love; for "love is the fulfilling of the Law" (Rom_13:10).

When, therefore, we see men walking in light and love toward God, and toward their fellow-men: we know that they are born again. Such a walk is impossible to the flesh.

The flesh is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be.

2. Born-again ones experience a love toward their fellow-men and toward God. This love is not of the lip, but of the life; it is not of word, but of work; it is not of say, but of serve.

The love of saints toward saints is manifested in "deed and in truth."

"But whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels against him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" (1Jn_3:17, \1911 Bible, marg.).

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren" (1Jn_3:14).

This fact assures our hearts before Him, and we know that we are of the Truth.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR