“Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[b] is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.”

1 John 2:9-10

Devotional 2 from La Jolla San Diego

John’s ‘new command’ (vv. 7, is similar to that of Jesus, that we love one another.1 Jerome’s description of the elderly John being carried into the church at Ephesus saying, ‘Little children, love one another!’ reveals this too (David Jackman, The Message of John’s Letters, BST, IVP, 1988, p11 ). He had grasped the centrality of love in the gospel message. As Christ loves us, so we must love one another. Hatred is no option for the believer. The false teachers of John’s day failed to grasp this, but we must not. Failing to love will mean walking around in darkness, blinded by hatred, as is sadly the case in some circles on social media. That will lead to stumbling and falls. Walking in the light means walking in love.

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord Jesus, I am amazed that you love me; you came to die for me and now you intervene for me as I continue to wander from your will for my life. My amazement turns to gratitude; I want to serve you in ways that shares your love with others.

(Edited from Encounter with God)