Is Love a Commandment?

Base Text: John 13:34–35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

INTRODUCTION

A. The Divine Distinction In the upper room, hours before the cross, Jesus did not leave His disciples with a suggestion or a helpful tip. He gave them a "new commandment." This love was to be the "uniform" of the Christian—the unmistakable signal to the world that someone truly belongs to Him.

B. The Current Reality Sadly, many modern churches are marked more by conflict than by compassion. Some believers are meticulous about obeying technical doctrines or outward rituals but are surprisingly negligent when it comes to brotherly love. We must remember that failing in one point of the law is to be guilty of all (James 2:10).

C. The Doctrine of Love Biblical love (Agape) is not an optional feeling based on our mood; it is a divine order. It is the foundation upon which the entire law and the prophets hang (Matthew 22:36–40).

Proposition: Love is an obligatory commandment that brings spiritual blessing and growth to the work of the Lord.

I. LOVE IS A DIVINE MANDATE

(John 13:34–35)

A. An Explicit Order Jesus was direct: "This is My commandment, that you love one another" (John 15:12, 17). This wasn't a temporary rule; the apostles later confirmed it as a foundational mandate for the church (2 John 5).

B. Why is it "New"? The principle of loving one's neighbor existed in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18). What makes it "new" is the Perfect Model. We are no longer asked to love others "as ourselves," but to love "as Christ loved us." This is a sacrificial, selfless, and proactive love (Ephesians 5:2).

C. A Test of Spiritual Condition The Bible uses strong language regarding those who refuse to love:

• Darkness: To hate a brother is to walk in spiritual blindness (1 John 2:9–11).

• Dishonesty: If someone claims to love God but hates his brother, the Bible calls that person a liar (1 John 4:20–21).

• Danger: A lack of love puts one in the same category as those facing the second death (Revelation 21:8).

II. LOVE IS THE EVIDENCE OF TRUE CHRISTIAN LIFE

How can the world tell the difference between a religious person and a redeemed person?

A. The Badge of Discipleship Love is the visible sign. It is the evidence that we have "passed from death to life" (1 John 3:11–14). Without it, we risk following the path of Cain, whose heart was void of brotherly affection.

B. The Perfect Bond Scripture calls love the "perfect bond" or "bond of perfection" (Colossians 3:14). It is the glue that holds the body of Christ together.

C. The Mark of Maturity You can speak in tongues, have the gift of prophecy, and possess all knowledge, but without love, you are "nothing"—just a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1–7). Love is the primary "Fruit of the Spirit" from which all other virtues grow.

III. HOW TO PRACTICE THE COMMANDMENT OF LOVE

If love is a command, we must know how to execute it.

• Imitate the Master: We practice love through humble service, just as Jesus washed the feet of His disciples (John 13:14–15). We love while others are still "sinners" because that is how God loved us (Romans 5:8).

• Concrete Actions: * Forgive: Just as Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).

◦ Serve: Using your liberty to help one another (Galatians 5:13).

◦ Bear With: Patiently enduring the flaws of others (Colossians 3:13).

• Remove the Obstacles: We must intentionally strip away Pride (James 4:6), Hypocrisy (Romans 12:9), and Envy (Galatians 5:26).

• The Power Source: We cannot produce this love on our own. It is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). We must walk in the Spirit to fulfill the law of love (Galatians 5:16, 22).

CONCLUSION

Is love a commandment? Absolutely. It is the most essential command for the survival of the soul and the growth of the Church.

Love is not a suggestion for when people are "lovable." It is a debt we owe to Christ. When we love one another, we prove to the world that Jesus is real and that His power has truly changed us.

Let us leave this place determined to obey this mandate—not because we feel like it, but because our King commanded it.

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Is Love a Commandment?