Day 54: 1 John 3:14

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.”



I write a lot about love. I’m not mushy, sentimental, romantic, or soft. But I do believe that love is the key to everything.


John is big on love. In fact, the whole of 1 John is based around love. One of the things that John uses love to do is to test out our salvation.


How many of you have stayed up at night wondering if you were really saved? How many of you have ever wondered where you would go if you died? Be honest, of course you have.


John is looking to encourage the people that he was writing to, just as I want to encourage you today. John says that if we have truly passed from death to life, then we love the brothers. As in, those people in the church pews next to you. It’s easy to get all altruistic about people halfway around the world that you’ve never met, but how about the person you know all about, and I mean all about?


That’s pretty cold, but think about it. We are called to love everybody. Loving the person we don’t like, or know everything about is much harder and is a real test of the love of God that resides within us.


A Christian leader has to love supremely, and it has to start with their brothers and sisters in Christ. If you can’t love them, than you can’t love anybody correctly.


More importantly, if you don’t love your brothers and sisters, the chances are that your salvation is in question. If you find yourself in a place today where you don’t love other believers, then it’s time to do a real inventory. Ask God to show you why you don’t love them, and ask for forgiveness and a new heart; God will give it to you.


CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE: Love for our brothers and sisters in Christ is the mark of a true believer. If we don’t have this love, we need to ask God for forgiveness and a new heart.


Here’s a set of verses to meditate on today: John 13:34-35


Prayer: Father, give me a love for your people. I am the same as them, redeemed by Your mercy and Your grace. Show me where I do not love Your people, and give me the love I need to do so. In Christ’s name I pray, amen.