Love Each Other

This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:11-15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus said it like this: "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” ‭‭John‬ ‭13:34-35‬ ‭NLT‬‬ This is the identifying characteristic of Christ's presence in the life of the believer. When Jesus is Lord of our lives we will demonstrate it by love for our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as our fellow man. When we accept Jesus into our life, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. The Holy Spirit is Christ in us. ““If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.” John‬ ‭14:15-18‬ ‭NLT If the Holy Spirit truly dwells in the professed believer, there will be evidence. Here is that evidence: “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:22-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Love is the #1 identifying characteristic of the presence of Jesus in our lives. We must love even our enemies. "You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:43-48‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Do you truly know Jesus? The proof is in the love. If you don't love others you are considered, by God Himself, as a murderer. (see I John 3:15) Now that is sobering!!