What is the defining characteristic of a true Christian? I mean, when you strip away everything and have nothing but the bare essentials, what is it that proves a person is really one of Gods children? Before we get into our study of John I want to take you to Matthew to put something in your minds:
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Mt. 5:43-48).
Jesus explains in this passage that the difference between sinners and saints is love. The difference is how they treat their enemies.
Now lets go over to John 13:33 and pick up where we left off last time. Jesus knows His hour has come and He wants to prepare His disciples for His departure. He wants to show them how they should act once Hes gone, so He washes their feet like a common servant. He told them it was an example that they should follow, and now he expounds a little further:
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
The first thing I want you to notice is that He calls them little children. In another place He says, Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves (Mt. 10:16). Jesus knew that once Hes crucified that all these men will suffer too. Theyre on the way to the slaughterhouse, and theyre going to feel very helpless. They wont be able to follow Him, so He gives them a new commandment:
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
The old commandment was to love your neighbor as yourself (Lev. 19:18). In fact, everything in the Law can be summed up by that one pithy statement. But this new commandment is to love your brother more than yourself. As I have loved you, He says. In chapter 15 (during this same conversation) Hell tell them that theres no greater love than when a man lays down his life for his friends. The kind of love Hes had for them is to wash their feet. Hes served them and Hell die for them. He puts their needs ahead of His own, and this is the example He expects them to follow!
This idea wasnt missed or forgotten by the other apostles:
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (Phil. 2:1-7).
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:1-2).
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this worlds good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth (I Jn. 3:16-18).
The example Jesus set means laying down your life and meeting the needs of your brothers and sisters in deed and truth. How do we do that when our lives are not in jeopardy? What does it mean to lay down your life when life isnt at stake? Think about the verse in Philippians: dont do anything in strife or pride. When you look around the room do you see anyone whos not quite as good as you? Is there anyone you wouldnt serve? Jesus says that whatever we do or dont do to the very least of the brethren we do or dont do to Him.
Is there someone here who particularly gets on your nerves? What does Jesus say? Is it not to love even your enemies? If someone makes you walk a mile then walk two. If someone strikes your left cheek then give them the right to go with it. This is the kind of love that passes understanding, and its the kind that proves something supernatural:
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
See, its not that doctrine isnt important, but lots of people have cold doctrine without love. Its not that morality doesnt matter, but without love its nothing more than do and dont. Love is the mark of a true Christian.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity (I Cor. 13:1-13).
Love is the foundation for everything. If were Gods elect its because He first loved us. If were predestined, called, justified, and glorified its because He loves us. He doesnt love us because were called; He calls us because were loved. The hope that we have wont disappoint us because has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). If Gods love is genuinely in us, then its going to be evident as a fruit of the Spirit:
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another (I Thess. 4:9).
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also (I Jn. 4:15-21).
Its impossible to be a child of God and not to love Gods children. He is love. Its not just that He does love, but He is love. And if our lives are in Him, then were going to act like Him. As He is, so are we in this world. And so, we love each other because God has loved us. Anyone who says he loves God but doesnt love his brother is a liar:
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him (I Jn. 3:11-15).
Cain claimed to love God; he even gave an offering, but he was not of God because he didnt love Abel. We know the truth about our salvation when we do or dont love the brethren.