What challenges might we face in obeying the command to love? John 15:17—A Clear, Unchanging Command “This is My command to you: Love one another.” Why Obeying Love Feels Difficult Even when we treasure the Lord’s words as literal and fully true, we soon discover that loving others collides with real-world pressures. Below are some of the most common challenges Scripture identifies. Inner Battles: Sinful Nature vs. Spirit • The flesh resists self-giving love (Galatians 5:17; Romans 7:18-19). • Old habits of pride, envy, and self-protection spring up whenever love would cost us. • Without continual surrender to the Spirit, we default to self-interest. Relational Barriers: Hurts and Unforgiveness • Past wounds make it easier to withdraw than to risk loving again (Colossians 3:13; Ephesians 4:31-32). • Bitterness blinds us to the mercy we ourselves received, chilling our hearts toward others. • Forgiveness is a command, not a feeling—yet feelings scream for revenge. Cultural Pressures: A World That Hates • Jesus warned, “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first” (John 15:18). • Hostility toward biblical convictions tempts us to retreat into echo chambers instead of loving those who oppose us (2 Timothy 3:1-4). • Public ridicule can silence kind witness, turning love into self-preservation. Practical Hindrances: Busyness and Distraction • Endless schedules crowd out time for meaningful relationships. • Digital noise competes with the quiet attentiveness love requires (Luke 10:40-42). • Jesus warns that in an age of multiplied wickedness, “the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Emotional Obstacles: Fear and Vulnerability • Perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18), yet fear of rejection, misunderstanding, or failure often restrains us. • Love exposes the heart; self-protection feels safer. • We may dread being taken advantage of, forgetting that Christ is our security. Doctrinal Confusion: Redefining Love • Culture equates love with tolerance of sin; Scripture joins love with truth (Ephesians 4:15). • When love is stripped of holiness, believers hesitate to confront error; when love is stripped of tenderness, truth sounds harsh. • Holding both together can draw criticism from every side. Prejudice and Partiality • James forbids favoritism (James 2:1). • Natural affinity pulls us toward people who look, think, and live like we do, leaving others unseen. • Christ’s body transcends social, racial, and economic lines—yet these walls die hard. Weariness and Discouragement • Love poured out without quick results can feel pointless (Galatians 6:9). • Repeated rejection tempts the heart to shut down. • Physical fatigue lowers patience, making sharp words or cold silence seem justified. Christ’s Provision to Overcome • “Remain in Me…apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) • God’s own love is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5), empowering what flesh cannot produce. • Abiding, prayer, fellowship, and obedience keep the supply line open so Christ’s love flows out even when circumstances press in. |
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