1 John 2:9-11 – Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.
1 John 4:7-8 – Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Deuteronomy 6:4-6 – Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
John 13:34-35 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
As in Matthew 25:31-46 the lesson here is that what fruit is borne from a person is evidence of what is within him (Proverbs 27:19). A man left to do what he wills to do will do what is within his heart. If his heart is evil it will show and if his heart is good that will show. Scripture is clear about that (Luke 6:45). The only way a man’s heart is pure and loves the ways of God is if that man is yielded to God. Only the man that the hand of God has touched will be changed to be like Him. If God has touched a person, and that person has the Holy Spirit within, then that person will have his heart and soul changed. Where the Holy Spirit is, change occurs. To reject the work and leading of the Holy Spirit, especially in the leading of one to Jesus Christ, is evil. To embrace the leading of the Holy Spirit is to be fashioned by God to become like God. The high test of whether one is indwelled by the Spirit of God, is whether the love of God is transforming the heart (Matthew 22:37-40).
Anyone who hates a brother or sister is still in darkness. Darkness has to do with a lack of knowledge of God. A lack of knowledge of God is indicative that God is not within. If God is not within, then the love of God is not within. If the love of God is not within, then the Holy Spirit of God is not within. If the Holy Spirit of God is not within then we don’t belong to God and are still in darkness and lost. The high test of whether one is a child of God and has any true knowledge of God is whether he loves as God loves. One who belongs to God grows in His love and cannot help but to be changed by it. Those who do not love are in darkness and therefore do not love and do not belong to God. Those who do belong to God continue to grow in His love and remain in the Light of God. Those in the darkness are blind and cannot even see clearly where they are going. Those in the Light know, and have a solid assurance based on the sure Word of God, where they are going. The proof of one’s position with God is if the love of God is within. If the love of God flows out, the Holy Spirit is within and one belongs to God.
Let love prove that God lives within us. How should we love each other? Jesus said it very succinctly “So whatever you wish that other would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12).” Family, this saying of Jesus covers everything. We need to think about how we want people to show their love to us. Then we know how to treat others. Think about how God loves us. Do that to others. Let’s do that. Let’s let the love shine forth. God’s love. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.