What other scriptures emphasize loving others as a sign of faith? Love—The Family Resemblance “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are distinguished: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.” (1 John 3:10) Love Identifies True Disciples • John 13:34-35 – “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” • John 15:12 – “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” Love Flows From New Birth • 1 John 4:7-8 – “Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” • 1 John 4:20-21 – “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” • 1 Peter 1:22 – “Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth, resulting in sincere brotherly love, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.” • 1 Thessalonians 4:9 – “Now about brotherly love, we have no need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.” Love Fulfills the Law • Matthew 22:37-40 – Jesus unites the commands: love God and “love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” • Romans 13:8-10 – “Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love, for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law… Therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.” Love Activates Genuine Faith • Galatians 5:6 – “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is faith working through love.” • James 2:14-17 – Faith that lacks loving action is declared “dead.” • 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 – Without love, even the greatest gifts and deeds “are nothing.” Love Builds Unity and Maturity • Colossians 3:14 – “And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.” • Ephesians 5:1-2 – “Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.” • Hebrews 13:1 – “Continue in brotherly love.” Living the Lesson • Scripture repeatedly presents love as the unmistakable evidence of saving faith. • Love is not optional; it is the natural outflow of being born of God. • Authentic faith is active, visible, and law-fulfilling when it expresses itself in love toward others. |
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