What Jesus Said About Love #1

Love Is A Commandment

Jesus said that love is a commandment. It's not just a good idea, or a suggestion. Love is a commandment. This means, not only that God expects us to love, but we are blessed when we walk in love.

Jesus said the love commandments were the greatest of the Old Covenant Laws. One time, when the scribes were quizzing Jesus about the most important law, he replied, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind, and you shall love your neighbour as yourself. All that is written in the law and by the prophets are based on these two commandments."

God expects us to love Him and others. We are never asked to do anything that does not lift others.

In John 13, Jesus added or foretold, the fulfilment of the Old Testament Law by giving a new command to love. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that also (indeed) you love one another." (John 13:34 NASB)

This commandment was new because it superseded the Old Testament law. It added the instruction to love one another, not as we love ourselves, but as Christ has loved us! Wow, that's taking love up a level. This command is repeated in the New Testament; "walk in love, just as Christ loved you and gave himself up for us…" (Ephesians 5:2 NASB).

This kind of love fulfils the Old Testament Law (Romans 13: 8-13).

Jesus gave us THE love commandment. He showed us what love is and poured out his love for us.