“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. – John 14:21.
The commandment referred to above is as spelt out in John 13:34. Obedience is the bedrock of the Christian faith. How do you respond to divine instructions? Do you allow the shallow knowledge of human intellectualism to usurp the place of all embracing divine instruction? Are you intellectualizing God’s words and instructions? Jesus said that if we keep his commandment of loving our fellow man then it is an evidence of our love for him. Most times the devil whispers hate into our mind for a little mistake by someone against us. He continues to expand it until that hate becomes so strong to lead to killing. People become very violent because the spirit of love has completely departed from their life. What will you say of someone who sets his fellow man on fire just on mere religious disagreement? Love is a very powerful tool for progress. In all these the Lord admonishes us to love our enemies. The bible says that “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins”. – Proverbs 10:12(KJV). Our proof of discipleship in Christ is the demonstration of love to the brethren. God’s word reveal to us that “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him”. – I John 2:5. Abiding by the word of God and been obedient to divine instructions are instrumental to a successful Christian life. God demonstrated His love for us when He paid the price of sin while we were yet sinners – what a great love. It is easier to love a friend and a relation than to love an enemy. It is a difficult thing to love someone who had made attempt on your life. It may be very difficult to love someone who openly wished you dead. Even so in all these God’s instruction is to love them that hate you. Can you imagine a young man who watch the Boko Haram set beheld his parent confess love for them? As difficult as this may be God instructs that we should love our enemies. However, we cannot attain this kind of love by our human effort, we need the help of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who is the comforter that will guide us in all truth.
Prayer: Father grant me the grace by your Spirit to obey you and your word in all instructions which include loving my fellow man unconditionally. In Jesus Name.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo