A NEW COMMANDMENT

 

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:34, 35)

 

Lord Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and to return to His heavenly Father. He loved His disciples and so He washed their feet to show them how to love and serve one another. In order to let the disciples continue His work I complete accord, Lord Jesus deliberately gave them a new commandment. They were to obey it and witness for Him. This new commandment was none other than ‘To Love One Another’.

 

1. The Origin of the New Commandment

 

This new commandment was given by Lord Jesus Christ so as to imply that it had authority and dignity. This is due to the fact that Jesus is Lord, King of Kings and that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Phil 2:10). Therefore all Christians must obey this commandment (1 Thess 4:9f) and owe no one anything except to love one another (Rom 13:8-10).

 

2. The Essence of the New Commandment

 

The most important commandment in the Old Testament is ‘to love God and man’. Lord Jesus had made this clear in His reply to the enquiry of the lawyer. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets” (Mt 22:35-40). But in the Old Testament, neither the commandment ‘to love your neighbor as yourself’ nor the commandment ‘to pray for the enemy’ was mentioned.

 

Therefore this commandment is new in the true sense of the words or in ites meaning. Later, Apostle John even cited the death of Lord Jesus for us as the best example to uphold this new commandment. Besides, He wanted us to love one another as God has loved us (1 Jn 3:11016; 4:11f).

 

3. The Command of the New Commandment

 

The content of this new commandment, as quoted from the speeches of Lord Jesus, is none other than ‘to love one another’. Lord Jesus had further explained the content of this new commandment by saying, “Even as I have loved you, that you also love one another”. Again Jesus said, “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 friends" (Jn 13:34; 15:12:13). The love of Jesus Christ is a good criterion of the new commandment 'To Love One Another'.

 

In the Bible it says: "Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man - though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us" (Rom 5:7,8). Paul also testified how Lord Jesus loved him by saying: "He loved me and gave himself for me"

(Gal 2:20). Lord Jesus suffered for our sins and died on the cross for us. His love is sacrificing and subliming. The Bible says: "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 Jn 3:16). 'To love one another', we must be able to love and sacrifice ourselves for others.

 

4. The Effect Of The New Commandment

If we obey the new commandment 'To Love one another', the following will be its effect:

 

a) To enable man to recognize us as His disciples Jesus said: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (Jn 13:35). 'Love' is the symbol of a Christian. If all the members of a family have love for one another, others will acknowledge that it is a Christian family. In society if we practice the new commandment, people will know that we are Christians. If we can manifest the love of Christ in our daily life, then others will recognize us as His disciples because of our love.

 

b) To enable Lord Jesus to have His glory The Bible says: "Everyone who is called by my name whom I created for my glory … "(Is 43:7). God created man so that the latter would glorify Him. If we practice the commandment 'To love one another', others will not only recognize us as His disciples but also give glory to God. Many non-believers like to disparage Christians at will because they have not heard the Truth. However, if we were to treat them with love, they will give glory to the True God in heaven because of our good deeds (cf: 1 Pet 2:12).

 

5. Conclusion

 

'To love one another' is the commandment given by Lord Jesus. Since the disciples had encouraged one another to obey it, it is imperative that we really put it into practice in the last days. The Bible says: "The end of all things is at hand. Above all hold unfailing your love for one another ... "(1 Pet 4:7-8). Let us hope that we may abound in love to one another and to all men (1 Thess 3:12) so that at any time and at any place, we can do man good and glorify God.