The New Commandment part 1
I think one of the more important things that Jesus ever said is found in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." And I think it's so important because it shows us that while we are no longer--on this side of the cross--under the Law of Moses... we are NOT lawless. As new creations... a new man... we simply have a new commandment. Not the Law of Moses but the Perfect Law of Liberty (see James 1:25). And the most amazing thing about this new commandment is that it is totally and completely dependant on God. Love one another as He loves you. Which means if He doesn't love you... you don't have to love one another. You're only expected to perform (if I can put it that way) to the level that HE performed. You only have to love as much as you ARE loved. Which, again, puts all of the emphasis on God. If He wants you to love a lot, then He first has to love you a lot. Which is pretty much exactly what 1 John 4:10-11 says, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." Love as you are loved. That simple principle--that New Commandment--puts our focus exactly where it belongs: Not on what we are doing, but on what Jesus has done. Not on how much we love--because I'll tell you right now, you will never be able to feel like you've "loved enough" no matter how much you wear yourself our trying to be good enough--but on how much we ARE loved. That's why my favorite song of all time is, "How He Loves Us," by the David Crowder Band. I think that song, more than any other, has the focus where it belongs. I can't listen to that song without feeling better, because it reminds me of what's important. Not me trying to be Peter and prove my love for Jesus--and then ending up denying Him three times before the rooster crows to announce the dawing of the New Day--but me putting my head on His bosom, like John did, and hearing His heartbeat. Speaking of Peter, though, look at 1 Peter 4:10, "As every man hath recieved the gift, even so minster the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." ALL we're supposed to do is be a good steward of what we've been given. As you've received it... minister it! My pastor says it like this, "If you know it... throw it." Receive it and release it. We make it so complicated and so hard... but the gospel is really very simple: Daddy loves you. Period. Exclamation point. And because He loves you... you can love yourself... and you can love others. Let me close with one more verse, Romans 13:8, "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." What am I "supposed to do"? Love one another. How am I supposed to do it? As Jesus loves me, I love others. Receive it and release it. Focus on His love for you and let Him fill you up with love so that His love overflows out of you naturally!