Why is it "Love one another"?

In John 13:34-35, Jesus says:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Interestingly, it is not - "Those in the world will know that you are Christians, if you have love for them."

So it seems that the primary way our faith in Christ is displayed to the world is not through our love for them, but through our love for the brethren.

Questions:

1. Any thoughts on why this is the case?

2. Is there a danger of us loving the unbeliever moreso than the believer?

by yuehan
Questions:

1. Any thoughts on why this is the case?

2. Is there a danger of us loving the unbeliever moreso than the believer?

So why wouldn't one love the unbeliever more? At least they are honest in their unbelief!!

Like the old secular song says, "I can clearly now, the rain is gone..." :) The Lord has had to lead his dear child along (me) to the place where He has shown me that I do not war against flesh and blood but against principalities, etc...

I'm not there 100% but I want to be!!

Just a quick thought before work!!! God bless,
Lisa

How about this. Or love for one another is the manifest token of our having the love of God in our hearts. If we cannot love one another them we obviously are not truly His.

@Lysa:

That's quite a list you compiled. I can partially identify with the list (for a time, I was terrified of meeting another professing Christian again)... though I have also done my share of hurting too.

I'm glad that God relates to us on the basis of grace, and not our behaviour or performance. That, in turn, is a reminder for us to relate to others on the basis of grace too, i.e. our unmerited favour for them.

I think that brings out the meaning of John 13:34, where Jesus says: "As I have loved you, that you also love one another."

And as you alluded to, it is a tremendous challenge... it sure is a lot easier to love like the tax collectors do! (Matt 5:46)

@twayneb, emestiu:

I agree with your sentiments, but there's really a lot more to these verses in John 13.

1. Loving the brethren is such a defining characteristic of the Christian life that Jesus singles it out as a "commandment" for emphasis. In fact, He calls it a "new commandment" (how is this commandment different to the other commandments contained in the Old Testament and the Sermon on the Mount?).

2. This specific emphasis on our loving the brethren are echoed in Jesus' specific love for His brethren: "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them." (John 17:9-10)

Important words!

Loving the brethren is such a defining characteristic of the Christian life that Jesus singles it out as a "commandment" for emphasis.

Here is an equally defining commandment;

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
(Matthew 5:44-48)

In Christ,

Here is an equally defining commandment;

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
(Matthew 5:44-48)

Otherwise, it would have been an old commandment. There would have been little need for Jesus to repeat it.

The setting of John 13:34 to the end of John 17 is very specific - Judas had already departed, and these were the final moments between Jesus and His disciples. It is an intimate setting. What Jesus says in these passage is not for the world - it is for His dearly-loved elect, and all who would believe through them.

Is it because: Love is the most perfect representation of Who Jesus Christ is? And Who God is?
And the way the Godhead relates to one another. God is the most perfect example of union between three distinct persons and we, the body of Christ, are an extension of that union.

John 17 verses 20 to 23:"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through
their message, 21that all of them may be one,
Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
May they also be in us so that the world may
believe that you have sent me. 22I have given
them the glory that you gave me, that they
may be one as we are one”” 23I in them and
you in me””so that they may be brought to
complete unity. Then the world will know
that you sent me and have loved them even
as you have loved me.”

Questions:

1. Any thoughts on why this is the case?

2. Is there a danger of us loving the unbeliever moreso than the believer?

The old commandment of love your neighbor (including unbelievers) is still valid. But on top of it Jesus gave us a new commandment which is to love our fellow brothers. When people see the brotherly love in us in Church, they will come to know that we are disciples of Jesus. That is why it is very important to be part of a local body of Christ and have the divine brotherly love. It is that way that Jesus told us to show the world that we are Christians.

How can a person who does not want to meet with brothers in his locality obey this commandment of God?