Love, I have heard it misrepresented, under-emphasize, misunderstood, and mischaracterize. Love, as a word can be the most meaningful or meaningless thing you can ever say. I fear we do not comprehend the magnitude and necessity of it. I pray that it may please Him to reveal this new commandment to all of His children and that He may give us not only ears to hear but also a heart to respond.
Extra Credit: Not sure if I have used this one before but even if I had it is just as good and fitting today. We go to A.W. Pink for this one in a humble reminder of True Christian Love
Jhn 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
Jhn 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.
Jhn 13:35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
- In what sense is this a new commandment?
A new commandment? This is certainly not another commandment or even new in the sense that this is the first time it has been revealed. It is though something we need constant refreshing of and all struggle with.
The spirit of the law is the essence of this commandment, and this spirit when it is ever revealed is the essence of His obedience to that law. Love is not a new burden but as Paul states, the law is fulfilled in this one little but powerful word (Gal 5:14). Oh to view the law in the light and spirit of love. To love is contrary to hatred and murder. To love is to respect anothers spouse and not desire them. To love is not to covet and desire anothers property but to desire them to be blessed with even more. To love is not to lie and gossip about someone else but to brag and boost about them. To love is to desire for others, no matter whom, more than you desire for yourself. Oh how this is a new commandment to many of us and we need reminded daily. We all fall far short of loving freely. We struggle to forgive, forbear, and we prefer one person over or to another. We fall and are unable to fulfill the spirit of the law and so to infrequently show the spirit. We express instead the weakness and our imperfections. Let us ask to be filled with His Spirit and in that we shall bare the fruits of that spirit. For without Him this will and always remains a new commandment that we will never fulfill. (II John :5)
