“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God indeed showed His love for the world when He sent His son. Jesus manifested his Father’s love in his life through his many acts of compassion and kindness, by teaching his followers to love one another and, ultimately, by sacrificing his life for us all.
How we show love
Jesus’ teaching concerning love is recorded in the Gospel of John. “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21) A disciple of Christ shows his love for his Lord by keeping his commandments. If this is done, the disciple is loved of God.
What is the commandment of Christ? “Anew commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35). This is how disciples of Christ show their love for their Master, by loving one another and doing so in such a way that all men know they are disciples of Christ. Then God will love them. Christ tells the disciples how to love one another: “As I have loved you.” One of the ways Christ demonstrated this love was by raising Lazarus.
The raising of Lazarus
Lazarus lived in Bethany, close to Jerusalem where Jesus had nearly been stoned (John 10:31). It was very dangerous for him to return to Judea, but his love for Lazarus and his family was too great for him to stay away. “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again” (John 11:5-7). The disciples decided to follow the example of their Lord: “Let us also go that we may die with him” (v.16).
At the grave, Jesus demonstrated his love for Lazarus with a display of emotion that was noticed by all those present: “he groaned in his spirit and was troubled…Jesus wept” (vs.33,35). Because of his love, Jesus restored Lazarus’ life; but, at the same time, made his own life forfeit: “Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, what do we? for this man doeth many miracles…And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them…it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the nation…Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death” (John 11:47-53). These same Jews would later deliver Christ to be crucified.
Love defined
Jesus comments on the true meaning of love: “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13-14). Here he tells us that there is no greater love than a love involving self-sacrifice.
How often do we fail in this regard? How often do we draw the line at that point? Yes, we love our brethren and sisters. Yes, we love our neighbor but usually when there is no risk to ourselves, usually when we can’t be hurt. If we wish to take up the cross of Christ, we must be prepared to lay our own lives aside.
The example of Peter
“Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. Peter said unto him, Lord why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice” (John 13:36-38).
Peter’s intentions were good. He knew the command to love one another and intended to keep it. That is not how it happened, however,
“Art thou also one of this man’s disciples?”
“I am not.”
Again: “Art not thou also one of his disciples?”
“I am not.”
A third time: “Did not I see thee in the garden with him?”
“I know not the man.”
Would we have done the same? Do we do the same? Peter stood by and watched his Lord — our Lord — die on the cross. Do we stand by indifferently and watch our brethren and sisters in need?
After Jesus was raised from the dead, he gave Peter a chance to recover from his failure.
“Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?”
“Yea, Lord; thou knowest that! love thee.”
Again: “Simon, son of Jonas lovest thou me?”
“Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.”
A third time: “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?”
“Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that! love thee.”
Three confessions of love for three failures — how many times would Jesus have asked us? If we do not love one another, how will Christ know we love him?
A sacrifice for sin
Jesus gave his life for us. He was accused of sins he did not commit. He was buffeted, spat upon, nailed to a cross between two thieves and left to die.
Out of love, God provided His only begotten son as the perfect sacrifice. Out of love, Jesus suffered willingly and submitted to death that all who believe in him might not perish. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 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” (1 John 4:7-11).
We have an obligation to love each other. We must be willing to lay our lives down for one another as Jesus did for us. Let us remember the words of Thomas: “Let us also go, that we might die with him.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One