LOVE God LOVE Others

July 14, 2025

Love, The Prime Directive

“Loving must be as normal to us as living and breathing, day after day, until our death.”  Mother Teresa

“Look at the cross and you will know what one soul means to Jesus.” Mother Teresa

“The difference between religion and Jesus is that religion makes a person feel guilty about his dirty feet and Jesus stoops down and washes them.”  Anonymous

This post aims to remind us all that love is and has always been the cornerstone and central precept of Christian faith. The solution of LOVE as one answer to the dilemma of the Christian church today may be received as underwhelming, even disappointing. Some may have been hoping for a more grandiose solution, or a more complex solution to address the complexities of modern life, or a more dramatic solution that calls for renewal or even reformation or awakening in the church. The solution of love may seem to some as far too elementary to bring Christianity out of the current malaise. After all everyone already knows about love in Christian faith, right? Many may say, “We are a loving church already, right?”

If these sentiments come to mind, please have patience. I was talking to a denomination leader and I made the comment, “The church has drifted from love.” He quickly responded, “I see a lot of love out there.” As I thought about his comment, from his point of view I completely understand and almost agree. In another conversation with a long time church member at a funeral of a church member. Defending the level of love in the church she said, “Look at this outpouring of love and care.” Again I almost agree.

In both of these scenes the people who were objects of love were people deeply imbedded in the church network. Yes, love and appreciation often flows abundantly for well known Christian leaders and for longstanding church friends. Obviously the ‘love meter’ was measuring love inside the church in both cases. My response to my dear friend at the funeral was, “Would my homeless friend that has attended this church about ten times receive the same outpouring?” My friend nodded with a new perspective. When the ‘love meter’ is placed outside the church to measure how the Body of Christ is loving the people beyond the walls the ‘meter’ reads quite differently. Hold this thought as you consider ‘Loving God and Loving Others’ as a critical Pillar of renewal.

Certainly everyone would agree we are ‘people of the book.’ Few steps could be more Evangelical than to turn to the Bible for a thorough review of the scriptures projecting love as the superlative precept above all. I am placing a listing of scriptures on the supremacy of love below this post in our blog page online.

Listen to John Wesley teaching on the ‘highest ideal’ of Christianity: “It is nothing higher and nothing lower than this, --- the pure love of God and man; the loving God with all our heart and soul, and our neighbor as ourselves. It is love governing the heart and life, running through all our tempers, words, and actions.” (Wynkoop, ‘Theology of Love,’ p. 277) 

Wesley said, “We see on every side, either men of no religion at all, or men of a lifeless, formal religion. We are grieved at the sight; and should greatly rejoice, if by any means we might convince some that there is a better religion to be attained, --a religion worthy of God that gave it. And this we conceive to be no other than love; the love of God and of all mankind; the loving God with all our heart, and soul, and strength, as having first loved us, as the fountain of all the good we have received and of all we ever hope to enjoy; and the loving every soul which God hath made, every man on earth, as our own soul. This love we believe to be the medicine of life, the never-failing remedy for all the evils of a disordered world, for all the miseries and vices of men. Wherever this is, there are virtue and happiness going hand in hand. (Wynkoop, ‘Theology of Love,’ p. 144) 

Love in the China Cabinet

It is likely while reading the ‘supreme’ scriptures on love and hearing the words of Wesley on love you could not help but reflect what place teachings on love had in your own spiritual journey. Everyone would be different in their reflections of course, but I would guess that most would say teaching about love was not the most significant theme in their discipleship process nor in their spiritual formation and journey. Some might point to the concept of grace on their salvation road and life as a Christian. Many other themes might surface as most significant to individuals, such as worship, or calling, or the Bible itself, or sin, or the Holy Spirit, or the gospel, and many more. 

In my reflections love was always vitally important to Christian faith and life. But it was like the fine china dish ware in my mother’s house. We could see it in the hutch behind the glass, shining so pristine, and clearly the decorative focal point of the dining room. But only about three times a year did we actually bring out those fine pieces and use them in a meal. They were highly prized but rarely used. It is quite possible this is the way the Christian teaching of love has been for many, love was placed on the pedestal of prominence, even supremacy, but rarely considered in daily Christian life applications. 

July 17, 2025

Wesley on the Centrality of Love

“Love God, Love Others” the life motto of John Wesley

To flesh out this idea that love is the center of all that is called Christian we will turn to the leader of one of the greatest awakening ministries in Christian history, John Wesley. Many realize that his ministry was one of the major influences in the awakening of England in the 1700’s and the 1800’s. Some also know that this Methodist ministry was exported to the new nation, the United States of America in 1784. 

Mainly under the leadership of Frances Asbury the Methodist movement became the most effective evangelizing force in the frontier and throughout the new nation. In the 1800’s the Methodist church was the largest church in America and their adherents outnumbered all other denominations combined by 4 to 1. 

Certainly, this is a strong affirmation of the culture and philosophy of ministry John Wesley had launched. With so much attention on other aspects of the Methodist ministry most do not realize Wesley’s personal motto was the heart of everything Methodist, “Love God, Love Others.” Here are thoughts from Wesley himself placing love at the center of all Christian faith.

Mildred Bangs Wynkoop is a Wesleyan Holiness Theologian. In her work, A Theology of Love, she speaks of the love center of the message which Wesley espoused.

“Love is so central to Christian faith that to touch it is to find oneself entangled with every element of Christian doctrine and life… Wesley’s discussions of any segment of Christian truth led him quickly into love. “God is love.” Every aspect of the atonement is an expression of love; holiness is love; the meaning of "religion" is love. Christian perfection is perfection of love. Every step of God toward man, and man’s response, step by step, is some aspect of love. Faith works by love. Ethics is the out flowing of love. To say that Christian holiness is our raison d’être (reason to be) is to say we are committed to everything love is, and that is a large order indeed. It is impossible to extract a doctrine of holiness out of Wesley and suppose that love may be discarded with impunity. Christian perfection, cut off from the aorta of all that love is, becomes sterile, cold, dead, incredible. (Wynkoop p. 21)   

Listen to this:

Wesley wrote answering the question, “Who is a Christian?” It is easy to see he raises the bar to the ultimate rather than diminishing the criteria to the absolute minimum as is common today.

Above all, remembering that God is love, he, the Christian man is conformed to the same likeness. He is full of love to his neighbor, of universal love, not confined to one sect or party, not restrained to those who agree with him in opinions, or in outward modes of worship, or to those who are allied to him by blood or recommended by nearness of place. Neither does he love only those that love him, or that are endeared to him by intimacy of acquaintance. But his love resembles that of him whose mercy is over all his works. It sores above all these scanty bounds, embracing neighbors and strangers, friends and enemies— yes, not only the good and gentle, but also the forward, the evil, and unthankful…(Wynkoop p. 30)

Jump to the blog web page to hear Wesley finish. Click the graphic below.

Also find the superlative love scriptures just below Today’s Post.

www.anakainosisforthechurch.com/today-s-post/

And this universal disinterested love is productive of all right affections. It is fruitful of gentleness, tenderness, sweetness, of humanity, courtesy, and affability. It makes a Christian rejoice in the virtues of all, and bear part in their happiness, at the same time that he sympathizes with their pains and compassionates their infirmities.  It creates modesty, condescension, prudence, together with calmness and evenness of temper. It is the parent of generosity, openness, and frankness, void of jealousy and suspicion. It begets candor, and willingness to believe and hope whatever is kind and friendly of every man, an invincible patience, never overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good… This is the plain, naked, portraiture of a Christian. (Wynkoop p. 30) 

Listen to Wesley speak about love and the heart, the relational key of Christianity:

Love is the end of every commandment of God. It is the point aimed at by the whole and every part of the Christian institution. The foundation is faith, purifying the heart, the end love, preserving the conscience. (Wynkoop p. 31) 

In the same Wesley sermon [Circumcision of the Heart] observe, “Love is the fulfilling of the law, the end of the commandment.” It is not only “the first and great commandment,” but all the commandments in one. . . The royal law of heaven and earth is this, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and mind and strength.” I concluded in these words: “Here is the sum of the perfect law, the circumcision of the heart.” (Wynkoop pp. 8-9)

It were well you should be thoroughly sensible of this, “The heaven of heavens is love.” There is nothing higher in religion; there is, in effect, nothing else; if you look for anything more than love, you are looking wide of the mark, you are getting out of the royal way, and when you are asking others, “Have you received this or that blessing?” if you mean anything but more love, you mean wrong; you are leading them out of the way, and putting them upon a false scent. Settle it then in your heart, that from the moment God has saved you from all sin, you are to aim at nothing more, but more of that love described in the thirteenth of the Corinthians. You can go no higher than this, till you are carried into Abraham’s bosom.” (Wynkoop p. 14) 

July 21, 2025

Everybody matters or nobody matters.   --- Harry Bosch TV character by Michel Connelly 

Christianity has long held that all creation is prized in the heart and eyes of God. 

This is a foundation stone that cannot be overlooked or taken for granted as the church moves toward renewal. Every person is created in the image of God. (Gen. 1:26-28) Every person has received the breath of God. (Gen. 2:7) Every person has an eternal soul. (John 5:28-29) Every person is a created masterpiece of God. (Ps. 139:13) Every person is known of God. (Ps. 139:1-3) Every person is especially loved by God. (John 3:16) And every person is someone for whom Christ died. (1 John 2:2) 

We can look at human history and even Christian history and see there have been many seasons when these truths have not been cherished and have not given guidance to the work of the church. God’s special heart for every human life must be bathed into the mind, heart, and psyche of all who will walk in the steps of Jesus. (See Acts 17:24-27) 

In the economy of Christ the alcoholic whose life has been wrecked by addiction stands in the same gaze of divine love and mercy from Father God as the president of any significant corporation with all the prestige attached. The abounding unconditional love of the Father must be restored as a central truth and a living breathing reality in the family of God.

Christian history shows that in seasons of awakening and renewal, as well as in local times of refreshing and revival the Body of Christ would often return to embrace this universal love and acceptance of humanity in its variety of expressions. Preachers love to say, “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.” A common caricature shows the words below the face of a mischievous youngster, “God don’t make no junk.” And the prophet Isaiah speaks for God writing, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” (Is. 49:16 NRSV)

Jump to our blog page and see how this can be applied to renewal for the church. Click the graphic below.

www.anakainosisforthechurch.com/today-s-post/

For the church to renew itself in the love and ministry steps of Jesus it must shake off attitudes that have been accumulated through the centuries from a fallen world. The phrases that follow are all too common in society. “They made their own bed, and they must lie in it.” “They have made bad choices and now they are reaping the consequences.” “There are plenty of jobs available these days. They just need to go to work.” “Why should the government have to support all of these?” “I have had some hard times, but I had to work my way through them on my own.” “I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps and they should too.”

Naturally the church of Jesus Christ rejects attitudes such as these, yet if we are going to mobilize the church in intensive loving ministry like Christ, we will have to admit some of our own hold such views. Diario Lopez Rodriguez said, “According to the testimony of the third Gospel, God has a special love for all those who have been condemned to social ostracism in the basement of history by those who hold economic and political power.” Rodriguez proposes that “at the heart of the liberating mission of Jesus are two non-negotiable themes, “the special love of God for the poor and the excluded, and the universality of mission.” (Rodriguez, ‘The Liberating Mission of Jesus,’ xiv.)

Howard Marshall holds that “Luke's Gospel emphasizes the special concern that Jesus has for those who are underprivileged, the poor, women, children, and those declared sinners.” In Luke 13 “Jesus denounces both the values of a society that had placed its religious prejudices and cultural practices above the value of human life, and he denounces the lack of mercy from the religious folk who considered themselves to be pious.” These biblical scholars believed that Jesus portrayed in Luke’s Gospel was proclaiming a kind of love that was so radical it appeared impossible to the Jewish leaders of his day. (Marshall in ‘Liberating Mission,’ p. 17, 21.)

I wonder if this kind of love and life could be called a ‘Jesus Revolution?” It certainly sounds revolutionary. 

July 24, 2025

Love God and Loving Others Continued ---- ‘Affectionate Knowing’

Secular writer, David Brooks has a great description of biblical relating/knowing or as he calls it, “affectionate knowing”:

“This posture of respect and reverence, this awareness of the infinite dignity of each person you meet, is a precondition for seeing people well… I ask you to assume that the person in front of you contains some piece of themselves that has no weight, size, color, or shape, yet gives them infinite value and dignity. If you consider that each person has a soul, you will be aware that each person has some transcendent spark inside of them. You will be aware that at the deepest level we are all equals… If you see the people you meet as precious souls, you’ll probably wind up treating them well. (Brooks, ‘How to Know a Person,’ p. 26.) 

Tim Alberta reminds us, “Jesus commanded us to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. This is the recipe for reaching the unchurched. This is the recipe for convicting the unconvicted. This is the recipe for effecting change --- whether over abortion, or sexual ethics, or any other issue.”  (Alberta, ‘The Kingdom, the Power, the Glory,’ pp. 30-31)

When Jesus walked the Earth, he went out of his way to minister to the broken and the shunned. He showed mercy to the prostitute, the adulterer, and the tax collector. He showed favoritism to them because these were the people who needed him most. He showed affection to them, regardless of their lifestyles. This was disgraceful to the Jewish authorities, monitoring Jesus’ behavior. They demanded an explanation from his disciples. Why was their rabbi keeping company with such as these? ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick,’ Jesus responded overhearing their questions. ‘I have not come to call the righteous but the sinners.’ (Alberta, ‘The Kingdom, the Power, the Glory,’ p. 24)

Go over to our blog page and hear one person’s story illustrating these ideas. Click on the graphic here.

www.anakainosisforthechurch.com/today-s-post/

A friend of mine was telling about a trip he made to meet the extended family of his wife. They married later in life. When he got home he was sharing about the visit with other members of the closer nuclear family. After he had shared several instances of the visit one of the family spoke to say that wing of the family was a wild group. The implication was that he was glad this part of the family lived at a distance to avoid much association. My friend was piqued and responded that as he saw the life situation of these family members he felt it was a privilege to spend time with them, hear their stories, and show them dignity, respect, and ‘affectionate knowing.’ 

This incident in a small way illustrates the view of many Christians who want to distance themselves from questionable people, secure their lives in some safe cocoon, judge addictive and self defeating behaviors, and avoid all personal relating. On the contrary the model of Jesus in the Gospels was to take intentional steps toward such people, showing them concern, care, and acceptance. The Gospel itself naturally moves toward people in need bringing ‘Good News.’ Therefore people of the Gospel and followers of Jesus must renew their understanding that they are the ambassadors of Jesus and the bearers of this good news of hope, help, and heart healing. 

Christians today seem cautious at best about desperate people in need, while the model of Jesus reveals a magnetic attraction the broken and needy held for him. His ‘manifesto’ says it well:

18‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.’

Luke 4:18-19 NRSV

July 27, 2025

My Friend Ellis – Loving Others – Second Pillar

About twelve years ago God led me into ministry and service to people in poverty. I had lived in my town for over forty years and I was shocked to find that there was an entire side of my town that I did not even realize existed, the poverty zones. I had lived in middle class comfort and in my Christian bubble while doing ministry as well as I understood, yet I was blind to this part of town and the people there in desperate need.

After about five years of working and serving people in poverty Jesus seemed to ramp up my involvement. He began to bring me face to face with individuals that I felt he was calling me to befriend, walk beside, and become a part of their world. I have spent the last seven years walking with about twelve friends for lengthy periods of time, as little as two years and up to six. I began to understand there was a big difference between helping a person and becoming their friend to walk beside them indefinitely. My view of loving others as Jesus would and inviting them to be my brother as the family of God began to take on new perspectives and meanings. All of these friends in these seven years have been homeless at least part of the time I have known them. (Disclaimer: ministry to deep poverty is not for everyone.)

Today I spent a few hours with my friend Ellis taking him from his slum halfway house to the urgent care clinic. I have walked with Ellis for over four years. He has been homeless quite a lot. My wife and I have helped him move into public housing twice, move into an apartment, move into tent campgrounds, move into rehab centers, move into halfway houses, move into the city shelter, attend church, visit him in jail, trips to hospitals, carried dinners to him, washed clothes, fed Ellis in our home, take him to restaurants, encouraged him in addictions, gone to court with him, managed his money on occasion, grieved his failures, celebrated his successes, and mainly joined with him in life as our brother and friend. 

We feel the call to be ‘family’ and friend to Ellis. We believe this is an application of what it means to follow Jesus, to be ‘on mission,’ to live incarnationally, to love sacrificially, to serve, to live out the ‘manifesto’ of Jesus personally, and to attempt living the Four Pillars. I need to say not everyone is called to poverty service (ie., helping the homeless). But we do believe following Jesus means loving self sacrificial service to others Jesus brings to our lives. The Four Pillars actually define a disciple of Jesus; Imitating Jesus touching others, Loving God by loving others in self sacrificial ways, living in koinonia community with others and inviting hurting people to join the ‘family,’ and by living these we live ‘On Mission’ with Jesus to spread his kingdom of Love.

Perhaps everyone is getting the idea that the FOUR Pillars are solid biblical calls for those that will genuinely follow Jesus. But in addition to this Lena and I want to share that living by the FOUR Pillars guidance has become the most fulfilling life we have lived. There is a rich sense of satisfaction that comes with knowing you are helping someone. Living with a purpose that you know is eternal in impact is profoundly gratifying. Growing in relationship with someone and walking with them toward life transforming goals is so precious. This list of personal benefits could go on and on. So we will close with the declaration that following Jesus in his FOUR Pillars has been the most positive path we could have taken in life. Jesus is calling us all to join him in this life of loving service.

As this blog continues we will be sharing the stories of other friends we have made and joined in walking them toward stability, belonging, healing, and Jesus. 

Check our blog pages for all of our posts.

www.anakainosisforthechurch.com/today-s-post/

July 30, 2025

Apostle John’s Special Message on Love --- Pillar 2

Few would argue that love is the central tenant of Christian life as articulated by Christ and the Bible authors. Nevertheless from any scan of Christian history through the lens of love as a central focus, a dilemma appears. The moments have been rare when love was the supreme focus of the church or the most important criteria for living as a Christ follower. How could the most important precept of Christ’s teachings, clearly captured in the Gospels and affirmed in the Epistles, be relegated to the china cabinet of Christian faith? (See June 13, 2025 blog on the china cabinet idea.)

Fortunately the Apostle John was the Apostle of Love and many believe that the oldest living apostle was inspired to bring clarity and practical application to this dilemma with his first epistle.

Let me just give you the ‘bottom line’ of this post right up front:

The litmus test John uses for living under the canopy of God’s love is how we treat other people. We demonstrate our love for God by loving those God loves, the others. According to John, Paul, and Jesus our devotion to God is illustrated, demonstrated, and authenticated by how we treat people. In the new covenant we do not love God AND love our neighbor. We love God BY loving our neighbor. Ministry to real people in their time of need gives the church the opportunity to walk under the manifesto of Jesus and love God as we love others supremely. (Luke 4:18-21)

Now see how John arrived here:

The Apostle John gives us the phrase “God is Love.” (1 John 4:8) No pagan god had been identified as self-giving love. This was unheard of. The gods of the day were known for almost anything except loving others. A quick scan of previous cultures would bring the same conclusion. Consider the Babylonians, Persians, or even tribal societies like the Philistines and those surrounding Israel. All those gods were self-serving calling their subjects to sacrifice for them. Where did John get this concept that ‘God is love,’ seeing it was so contrary to what was known? (See Andy Stanley’s book, ‘Irresistible’ for a full treatment of this theme.)

John had seen it personally, first hand, in Jesus. He saw it as he observed Jesus love those he had never met, people that others ignored. He felt this love as he walked with Jesus and experienced this call into a new life of love. He had witnessed this love as he watched Jesus carry his cross and give his own life for all mankind. 

John remembered how Philip had said to Jesus, “Lord show us the Father and we will be satisfied.” (John 14:8 NRSV) That must have been frustrating to Jesus since he had just told the disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also.” (vss 6-7) We can hear the tension as Jesus responds to Philip, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (vs9) 

John understood now. They had all spent a few years of their lives walking with Jesus and experiencing the most amazing and life altering things. And from those years John was not hesitant to declare ‘God is Love.’ He had seen God through Jesus! And John knew God was love. 

In his epistle John gives the church some additional light on this concept of loving God and loving others. Religion always tends toward the vertical, looking toward deity. So the church has through the centuries tended toward the vertical of this Great Commandment package, “You shall love the Lord your God.” But in his letter John goes on to say much about the horizontal component. For many, even today, John is throwing a curveball at their interpretations of the Great Commandment and even Christian faith. Listen:

Jump to our blog page for the conclusion of John’s ‘new twist’ on loving God.

www.anakainosisforthechurch.com/today-s-post/

John said:  “Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate a brother or sister, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” (1 John 4:20 NRSV)

“Whoever says, ‘I am in the light,’ while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling.” (1 John 2:9-10 NRSV)

“Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:11 NRSV)

“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8 NRSV)

The litmus test John uses for living under the canopy of God’s love is how we treat other people. We demonstrate our love for God by loving those God loves, the others. According to John, Paul, and Jesus our devotion to God is illustrated, demonstrated, and authenticated by how we treat people. In the new covenant we do not love God AND love our neighbor. We love God BY loving our neighbor. Ministry to real people in their time of need gives the church the opportunity to walk under the manifesto of Jesus and love God as we love others supremely. (Luke 4:18-21)

Possibly the first step forward in renewal is a renewal of the ‘Love of God’ for the entire church of Jesus Christ. A renewal that can fill any heart and move it into loving action for the hurting and broken. All who will follow Jesus will be filled with compassion. (Mark 1:41) All who have the eyes of the Father will see hurting brothers and sisters, and girls and boys, as they look around their lives. (Luke 4:18) All who are led by the Spirit will experience the Love of God that is spread abroad by His anointed breath. (Rom. 5:5) All who believe will be led to the understanding John Wesley cherished, “Faith works by Love.” (Gal 6:5) 

Wesley wrote of this horizontal love. “It implies such a continual thankful love to Him [God] who hath not withheld from us his Son, His only Son, as makes it natural, and in a manner necessary to us, to love every child of man: as fills us with bowels of mercies, kindness, gentleness, long suffering.”  (John Wesley as quoted in Mildred Bangs Wynkoop, p 140. [Works, VI, 70-72])

(See Andy Stanley, Irresistible: Reclaiming the New that Jesus Unleashed for the World, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 227. Stanley dedicates a chapter to John’s revelation that God is love and to love him requires loving others.)

Love Superlative in Scripture

Followers of Christ have one guide book, one instruction manual. It is the Bible. This is where Christians find the words and life model of their Savior and King, as well as the lives and faith of their early fathers. So, it is significant to find that a review of scriptures on love will bring the reader to a sense that these passages somehow hold a central and superlative quality to all other scripture. That is a grand statement to make but the scriptures below will support such a declaration solidly.

There is no better place to start a review of the superlative scriptures on love than John 3:16, the ‘key verse’ of the entire Bible. The love of God in action is the basis of the Bible, of all creation, and God’s goal for all humanity.

John 3:16 (NRSV)

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

Then when Jesus was asked about the most important commandment he gave us these words and even elevated their value further.

Mat 22:36-40 (NRSV)

 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

John writes about the Last Supper Jesus held with his disciples. Here near the end of his life on earth Jesus calls this the New Commandment he is giving and then tells them how effectively it will impact the world nearby. 

John 13:34-35    

 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In an extended teaching section in the Gospel of John Jesus gives his ‘personal’ command here. How wonderful that the Christ who is love places his personal stamp on this command as his own.

John 15:12-13, 17  (NRSV)

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. 17 These things I command you that you love one another.

Paul and Peter use the phrase ‘above all’ when they speak of love, giving affirmation to the superlative nature of love in this new faith.

Col 3:14 (NRSV)

14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

1 Peter 4:8 (NRSV)

8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. 

1 Cor 16:14 (NRSV)

14 Let all that you do be done in love.

Paul calls for imitation of God among the saints and gives ‘walking in love’ as the criteria.

Eph 5:1-2 (NRSV)

5 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Paul in his letter to the Corinthian church chooses to include an entire section on the superlative quality of love. This chapter is without parallel in his writings and has become the quintessential description of Christian love.

1 Cor 13:1-7, 13 (NRSV)  

If I speak in the tongues of humans and of angels but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my possessions and if I hand over my body so that I may boast[a] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

13 And now faith, hope, and love remain, these three, and the greatest of these is love.

As in several of these superlative scriptures Paul let’s the Romans know that this call alone has the ability to fulfill all the law. Paul says we all owe a debt, we are debtors to love one another.

Rom 13:8-9 (NRSV)        

8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Paul uses the word ‘telos’ to describe why love is the center of Christian instruction and faith. ‘Telos’ means the goal to be attained or the target for which one is aiming. In effect Paul is saying love is the ‘ultimate end’ of all Christianity.

1 Tim 1:5 (NRSV)

 5 But the aim [telos] of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. 6 Some people have deviated from these and turned to meaningless talk.

1 Tim 1:5-7 (The Message)    

5-7 The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into dead ends of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven’t the remotest idea of what they’re holding forth with such imposing eloquence.

James gives a new title to this gospel call. He names it the Royal Law. Whatever James had in mind with this title it seems clear it lifts the command up and above common laws, or regional laws, national laws, or even universal laws. 

James 2:8 (NRSV)

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.

Paul prays for his people that they will be ‘filled with all the fulness of God’ and we see love has a central place.

Eph 3:14-19 (NRSV)         

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family[l] in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Paul writes Philippians chapter 2 describing the self sacrificial love of Jesus Christ. The passage is known for the “kenosis” concept, or self emptying Paul writes about Christ. The first verse begins with Christ as the focus, his comfort and consolation. Paul then gives a call for emulation with four parallel phrases and culminates with the fifth call to begin verse 5, “Let this mind be in you.” Paul could not have given the call any stronger asking his followers to live in self sacrificial love for others as Christ did. (See also Ephesians 5:25-26 NRSV “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”)

Phil 2:1-5 (NRSV)              

2 If, then, there is any comfort in Christ, any consolation from love, any partnership in the Spirit, any tender affection and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus…

The Apostle John wrote his first letter emphasizing the theme of love. It is quite possible as the only remaining apostle he felt the weight on his shoulders to convey the precise center of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Three times he uses words like, “this is the message,” or “this is his command.” His repetition belays the great emphasis he placed on this theme of love as the message about the gospel that rose above all other themes. Listen.

1 John (NRSV)

3:11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 

3:14  We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brothers and sisters. Whoever does not love abides in death.

3:23  And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 

4:7-8   Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.

4:11-12  Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us.

4:16  So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.

4:21  The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

The Great Commandment did have a connection to Jewish faith tradition. It is called the ‘Shammah’ and it was revered at the heart of Jewish religious life.

Dt 6:4-7 (NRSV)  

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7 Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.

In summary, we have reviewed that the Great Commandment is well known as the most central call of the New Testament flowing from the lips of Christ. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matt. 22:37 NRSV) Many Christians would even be familiar with the connected command that Jesus gave, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (vs 39) Then Jesus confirms the unity and importance of these two combined commands with his next statement, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (vs 40) This validation of the highest order cannot be underestimated in Christian faith. Jesus literally made this two-commandment package the key for the fulfillment of the exhaustive parameters of faith known to the Jews. Mark simply writes, “There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31 NRSV) 

‘Love God and Love Others’ can be considered the core of all that God calls followers of Christ to do and to be. It can be said, in accord with Mark, there is nothing greater than this. Nothing of Christian faith and life can go beyond this or venture far without this. Through this the will of God is expressed in his 

followers and without this his essence is missing.