Love One Another

Jesus issues a new commandment to the world:

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (KJV)

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (NIV)

These words in John 13:34 seems to contradict what we’ve been told about God’s unchanging character, but do they really? What is Jesus really saying here? Is He really telling us something new, or just reinforcing what we’ve already been told?

If you look at the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:2-17 you can see them divided into two distinct lists.  The first four are all about loving God, the final six are all about loving others.  The love of God is displayed in all ten!

Jesus is not issuing a new commandment, but is instead pointing to the ten commandments and illustrating how we must love others by following what they say.  If you follow the ten commandments, then you are also following the “new” commandment that Jesus issued.

We know that God never changes, since it is written as such in Malachi 3:6 and therefore He cannot issue a new commandment as such.  All we need to do to follow Him, follow His commandments, love others, love ourselves and the world will be a much happier place.

I’m now going to make a special appeal.  If you or a family member suffers from mental health issues and you’d like to share your story (anonymously), please use the form below.  All information will be kept confidential and will not be shared with anyone. My goal is to set up a resource for people who are reaching out for help.  You can be part of the solution and maybe save a life.