Love One Another
Jesus's new commandment makes mutual love the distinguishing mark of His disciples.
Jesus gives his disciples 'a new commandment: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.' This love within the Christian community is the visible evidence of genuine discipleship: 'By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.' The newness is not love itself but the standard—'as I have loved you'—sacrificial, serving, foot-washing love. This mutual love creates the community that witnesses to the world. When Christians love each other across all divisions, the world sees something supernatural.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Francis Schaeffer called this 'the final apologetic'—love among Christians that demonstrates the truth of Christianity to a watching world.
Gospel of John
Written about in
- What Christianity says about love
Jesus makes mutual love the mark by which his followers are to be recognised. What is new is not love but the standard set for it: as I have loved you.