Numerous texts in the Bible instruct Christians to love one another, but what exactly does it mean? How are we going to do that? There are a lot of conflicting views in the world regarding what is and is not loving. What, though, is loving in God’s eyes? What kind of love does God want between us? Let’s investigate by looking at the Bible.
Love one another is important to God
Love is God’s greatest [value]. In truth, Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” in response to a question about the greatest, or most significant, commandment. The first and greatest commandment is this one. Another similar verse is found in Matthew 22:36–39: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
God commands us to love one another
The application of two broad commandments—to love God and love your neighbor, which is to love other people—is laid forth repeatedly in the Bible. The first four of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21) deal with loving God, whereas the final six commandments deal with loving your neighbor. Below is a synopsis of those six:
- Honor your father and your mother
- You shall not murder
- You shall not commit adultery
- You shall not steal
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
- You must not be envious of your neighbor’s spouse. or something that belongs to your neighbor
We show our love for one another by abstaining from certain behaviors, such as adultery, stealing, lying, and jealousy, and by honoring our parents. Even those negative rules, “you shall not,” imply that we ought to act in the opposite way.
- Rather than taking another person’s life, we ought to work to safeguard and preserve theirs.
- We should be [true and devoted to our marriage] and treat other people with respect, modesty, and honor instead of sleeping with anyone else.
- Rather than engaging in theft, we ought to earn an honest living for our family and ourselves.
- Instead of lying, we should speak truthfully
- We should be glad for others and pleased with what we have rather than feeling envious of what they have.
The Bible is full of loving each other
There are many more places in the Bible that give examples of how to love one another. The Apostle Paul wrote, “If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2). Elsewhere, Paul writes, “If there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:1-4). And again, we are told to “Consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-26).
Read the Bible to learn about love
The Bible contains numerous texts that teach us what it means to treat one another with love. These are just a few of them. Have you perused the Bible? How many more real-world instances are there?
