Love Like Jesus Loved

“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.” (John 13:34-35)

When Jesus gave this commandment, to love one another, what He also says that this love is nothing less than what He has done for us.

If we want to be like Christ, we must, without hesitation, accept this as a rule to live our lives by.

Jesus also knows how difficult such love is, as He went to the cross to show us the way.

A little later in John 15:12-13 Jesus says, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

To love like Jesus loved means we have to keep our eyes constantly focused on Him, and then going to the cross to see just how much He loved us.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Only then will we realize that our love for others is based on Jesus’ loved for them.

What this means is that power to love others doesn’t come from ourselves; rather it comes the power of Jesus’ love for us. This is something we must fully grasp, because we cannot exert love’s full power until Christ’s love is imparted to us.

This is the sign of true discipleship. To love like Jesus who so loved us is what discipleship is all about. It is to pick up our cross daily, which means to die to ourselves and follow His loving example.

It is therefore through Christ’s love working in us that Gods’ kingdom work is accomplished here on earth.

To love as Jesus loved we must fan into flame Jesus love everyday by fixing our eyes and maintain our focus on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.