Abiding in Christ Jesus
Part
Six
By Nick Bibile
John 15:12 – “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
In this passage, we will consider the importance and meaning of Christ’s command, the nature of His love toward believers, how it differs from the love of unbelievers, the reason for this command, and some of the key elements of true Christian love.
Can you give a command to your teacher, your boss, or your parents? Certainly not. Yet they can give commands to you. Why? Because they possess authority over you.
In the same way, Christ—the Commander and Chief—gives commands to His people. Parents have authority because they raised you and cared for you. But Christ’s authority is far greater—He created you.
Colossians 1:16 – “For by him were all things created…”
Therefore, when Christ gives a command, it is not optional. Whether we feel like it or not, we are called to obey. Even demons and nature obey Him—how much more should believers?
His command is simple yet profound: “Love one another as I have loved you.”
Jesus repeats this command:
John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give unto you…”
Does “new” mean something entirely unheard of? No. It means newly emphasized, freshly revealed, and more clearly explained.
The principle was already present:
Leviticus
19:18 –
“Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself.”
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John 2:7 –
“…no new
commandment… but an old commandment…”
What is new is the standard: “as I have loved you.”
This is not a one-time act. The tense implies continuous action—keep on loving one another.
Christ’s love is immeasurable. The greatest expression of it is this:
John 15:13 – “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
John 10:15 – “…I lay down my life for the sheep.”
Because He loved us this way, we are commanded to love one another:
1 John 4:11 – “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”
This is not a suggestion—it is a mandate.
This love is not:
Romantic love
Mere family affection
It is agape love—sacrificial, self-giving, unconditional love.
Unbelievers also show forms of love. They form groups, help one another, and show kindness. But their love is often:
Selective (toward those they like)
Self-serving
Motivated by recognition or pride
Matthew 6:1 warns against doing good for public praise.
Christian love, by contrast, is:
Impartial
God-centered
Done in secret, for God’s glory
Christ is the vine; believers are the branches. We are connected and dependent on one another to bear fruit.
He is also the Head, and the Church is His body.
1 Corinthians 12 teaches that:
The body has many members
Every part is necessary
There must be no division
Just as the human body functions as one, so must the church.
Think of an airplane with millions of parts—no single part flies alone. Every part works together. In the same way, the church must function in unity.
If a visitor comes to church and is ignored or judged based on appearance, how can we win that soul to Christ?
James 2:3–5 condemns partiality.
If a new believer struggles and we reject or speak against them, we may cause them to stumble.
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John 3:15 –
Hatred is equated
with murder.
Luke
17:1–2 –
Causing others to stumble brings serious warning.
This is serious. Love is not optional—it reveals whether we truly walk in the light.
We belong to one family:
One Father
One Savior
One body
If we cannot practice this love here, we are not prepared for heaven.
We are called to:
Pray for one another
Bear one another’s burdens
Forgive one another
Build one another up
Ephesians 4:15–16 – The body grows by building itself up in love.
Christ’s love is:
Unconditional
Selfless
Sacrificial
1 John 3:16 – “…we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
He lived not for Himself, but for others. That is agape love.
Jesus washed His disciples’ feet:
John 13:14–15
True love requires humility. Pride prevents sacrificial love. Christ showed us how to stoop low to serve others.
1 Peter 4:8–9
Hospitality means welcoming and caring for others without expecting anything in return.
True love gives the best—not leftovers. It serves with sincerity, not appearance.
Love is demonstrated through action.
Acts
2:44–45
Acts
4:32
The early church shared what they had because their hearts were united.
James
2:15–17 –
Faith without works is dead.
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John 3:17–18
– Love must be in deed and truth.
True giving is:
Voluntary
Cheerful
Motivated by compassion
This kind of love is the result of regeneration.
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John 4:7–8 –
Love proves we are born of God.
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John 3:14 –
Loving the brethren shows we have passed from death to life.
Do you see the message clearly?
We are one family in Christ. His command is not optional. We are to love one another as He loved us—sacrificially, humbly, and sincerely.
If we abide in Christ, this love will be evident in our lives.
Let us not love in word only, but in deed and in truth.