“Dear friends, let us LOVE ONE ANOTHER, for LOVE COMES FROM GOD. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love DOES NOT KNOW GOD, because GOD IS LOVE. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. THIS IS LOVE: not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON AS AN ATONING SACRIFICE for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also 1OUGHT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” (1 John 4:7-11) 1opheilō: to owe, be bound by oath; be obligated, something we are commanded to do.
When asked “which commandment is the greatest” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, soul, mind. This is the FIRST AND GREATEST COMMANDMENT. And the second is like it (equally important): LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. All the Law and the Prophets hang (is based on) on these two commandments.” (Matt. 22:37-40) We are instructed to love one another because that is the nature of God, love comes from God! If we fail to love one another, WE ARE NOT OF GOD. It’s not about just telling someone that you love them. If we say we love someone and speak badly of them, that’s a sign that we do not love them. If someone speaks badly of us we still “OUGHT” TO LOVE THEM…
GOD IS LOVE, WE ARE COMMANDED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER…
-Bill Stockham