Question 42: Loving One Another

Question: How are we called to love one another as the church?

Answer: We are called to love sacrificially, serving one another and laying down our lives for each other as Christ did for us.

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

Jesus kneels before his disciples with a basin and towel on the night before his crucifixion. He demonstrates humble, sacrificial service by washing their feet (John 13:1-5). He teaches them to follow his example and love as he loved them. Washing another’s feet means more than just being nice or helping someone out. Jesus teaches that love is the distinctive mark of his followers, making them recognizable to the world. The disciples needed to understand that this love involves the often hard, painful step of giving their lives away to others, just as Jesus was about to do for them on the cross.

Love is both the mark and mission of all Jesus followers. Loving sacrificially isn’t easy in a broken world where relationships can bring pain. Reflecting on Jesus’s sacrifice, John taught, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16). We can only love this way because God first loved us and his Spirit empowers us to love one another. Love is often heart-wrenching and sacrificial—offering one’s life for the good of another. We are called to be devoted to one another, serve humbly (Galatians 5:13), and carry each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) in love. In these ways, we show the world what Jesus is like and invite them to know his love too.

TODAY: Ask God to reveal someone who needs sacrificial love today. Consider how you can “lay down your life” for them through service, forgiveness or by carrying their burdens. Learn more about the church in our We Believe document HERE.