75 Question 33 Do we really love the brethren if we disobey God’s law?

75 Bible Questions Your Instructors Pray You Won’t Ask by Gary North

Question 33  Do we really love the brethren if we disobey God’s law?

1 John 5:1-2  “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.”

When we are saved we become part of God’s adopted family, that is why God is our Heavenly Father, and if we love God we will love our fellow siblings in the Faith, but how do we love them?

Is loving being their friend, taking time with them, helping them when they are in need, or treating them as our neighbor? 

It is all these, primarily the last one because 1 John 5:2 says we will know we love them when we obey God’s commandments and the second greatest command Jesus gave us is to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Romans 13:8 “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”

Romans 13:9  “For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””

Romans 12:10 “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

Luke 6:31 “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”

Matthew 19:19  “Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Mark 12:31  “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”