A common theme of the apostle John in his letters is the need to love your brothers and sisters in Christ. He states in 1 John 3:10, “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.” Love is the characteristic that distinguishes God’s people from the rest of society. “We know that we have passed from death to live, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death” (3:14).
The concept of love can be nebulous. When someone says, “I love you,” what do they mean? What kind of love is it? Is it philanthropy? (A love of mankind in general)? It is fondness? Is it romantic attachment? Consider the young lady seeking to kindly dissuade the young man who seeks to woo her, “I love you, just not in that way.”
In the call to love your brother, the great apostle clearly establishes what is intended by the words. He writes in 1 John 3:18, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” This does not mean that it is wrong to proclaim our love for our brother, rather that we are to show that love through action! Anything less is below the standard established by the Holy Spirit.
So, the next time you want to profess your love for your brother in Christ, express it through actions that accord with God’s call to righteousness. It is easy to talk the talk, but God expects us to walk the walk!
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