An Article of Faith

“We know that we have passed out of death into life,” assures John, “because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 4:14-16).

The term “brethren” refers to our “brothers and sisters” in Christ. And based on the Greek word for “love” (agape) which means “a divine and self-sacrificial love,” John is talking about our willingness to sacrifice for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Notice his example in 1 John 4:17-18, “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

“Christmas is a time of giving, sharing, and remembering the Christ Child who came to give the greatest gift of all: He gave His life as a sacrifice so that we might live,” writes a Zimbabwe Evangelism Team member. “When I look at the pastors in Zimbabwe, I see this same kind of sacrifice. Many don’t receive a steady monthly salary. They have difficulty paying their rent and putting enough food on the table so their families won’t go hungry. Yet they spend their days out among their people, witnessing to the lost, praying for them, visiting the sick, and helping to bury the dead. Often people come to the house of a pastor, looking for help with money or food. Our pastors give to those in need, even though they themselves could be classified as the needy ones! These dear, faithful ones aren’t giving out of the overflow of their wealth, but out of great poverty. When David wanted to make a sacrifice to God, one of his loyal subjects offered to give him the animal for the sacrifice, but David replied, ‘I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing’ (2 Samuel 24:24, ESV).”

Five times John mentions “love one another”: “For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; ... This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us” (1 John 3:11, 23). “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ... Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:7, 11-12).

True or False – Are you willing to sacrifice for your brothers and sisters in Christ? “By this all men will know that you are My disciples,” affirms Jesus, “if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

(Jessie J. Charpentier Sr. is pastor of Jenkins Memorial Baptist Church in St. Martinville.)