11 Nov. Real love means giving our lives for our brothers and sisters
"This is the teaching you have heard from the beginning: we must love each other."
"Do not be like Cain who belonged to the Evil one and killed his brother..."
"Brothers and sisters, do not be surprised when the people of the world hate you. We know we have left death and have come into life because we love each other. Whoever does not love is still dead..."
"This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters."
"Suppose someone has enough to live on and sees a brother or sister in need, but does not help. Then God's love is not living in that person. My children, we should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring..."
"This is what God commands: that we believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, and that we love each other, just as he commanded. The people who obey God's commands live in God, and God lives in them. We know that God lives in us because of the [Holy] Spirit God gave us."
(1 John 3:11-24)
John continues his letter to the Jewish Christians who have escaped persecution in Jerusalem by saying the believers should love one another – and not be like Cain, who murdered his brother Abel (see Genesis 4:8).
John warns the believers not to be surprised if others in the world hate them. They have already suffered persecution from traditional Jews in Jerusalem for accepting Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and John warns that they will face further persecution because being honest and supportive of others undermines the evil intent of those who are dishonest and seek to take financial advantage of the poor.
John reminds his readers why Christians are filled with love for others: "This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters." (1 John 3:16)
So he encourages them to help each other in practical ways: “Suppose someone has enough to live and sees a brother or sister in need, but does not help. Then God’s love is not living in that person” (1 John 3:17).
John urges his fellow-believers to follow their consciences and to have courage. They should act according to the Holy Spirit's prompting, as “We know that God lives in us because of the Spirit God gave us” (1 John 3:24).
The photo shows members of the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) who fly small planes into inaccessible regions to support Christian missions, carry out medical evacuations, and transport food and medical supplies to remote villages.
You can read more from John's First Letter @ https://www.thebiblejourney.org/…/19…/love-one-another48336/