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“A new commandment I give unto you,
That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
— John 13:34–35 (KJV)
Let us look at what the Word of God says. Jesus did not say, “I give you a new suggestion,” or, “I give you a new option.” He used the word *commandment*. The Christian life is not built on religious sentiment, but on obedience to the revealed will of God. At the heart of that revealed will stands this command:
> “That you love one another, as I have loved you.”
The lyrics of this song simply echo this central command:
That you love one another, as I have loved you.”
This is not peripheral. It is not optional. According to Jesus, it is the primary evidence of true discipleship:
> “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.” (John 13:35)
The other Scriptures attached to this song develop the same theme:
— Ephesians 5:2
— Colossians 3:14
So we are dealing with a central, non-negotiable element of Christian life: commanded love—love that is not based on feeling, temperament, or convenience, but on obedience to Christ.
---
The words in John 13 are spoken in a very specific and solemn setting. It is the night before the crucifixion. Jesus is in the upper room with His disciples, celebrating the Passover meal, which He is about to transform into the Lord’s Supper.
John notes:
> “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”
> — John 13:1
In that atmosphere, Jesus does several decisive things:
1. He washes the disciples’ feet (John 13:3–17).
The One who knew that the Father had given all things into His hands takes a towel and a basin and assumes the position of the lowest servant. He enacts love in humble service.
2. He identifies and dismisses Judas (John 13:21–30).
The betrayer goes out into the night. The group is now reduced to those who will form the nucleus of the Church.
3. He begins His farewell discourse (John 13–17).
These chapters are His final instructions, His spiritual will and testament to those who will carry on His mission.
It is *in this context* that He says:
> “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
> A new commandment I give unto you…”
> — John 13:33–34
He is going away. They cannot follow Him physically. So what will mark them as His? Not a building. Not a denomination. Not a title. But one thing:
> “…that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (v. 34)
And He adds:
> “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (v. 35)
He is speaking to *the Church at its inception*. These men will form the foundation of the new covenant community. The command to love one another is not an accessory—it is the identifying badge of that community.
Paul, in Ephesians and Colossians, writes decades later to established congregations. He does not introduce a new ethic. He simply unpacks what Jesus said:
The same love that Jesus commanded is now presented as the *daily walk* and *supreme garment* of the believer.
---
To understand this love, we must look carefully at the key terms used.
### 1. “Love” — *Agapē* (ἀγάπη)
The main Greek word here is ἀγάπη (agapē), and its verb form ἀγαπάω (agapaō).
This is not:
Agapē is a higher, divine kind of love. It has several key characteristics:
John defines it:
> “Hereby perceive we the love (*agapē*) of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
> — 1 John 3:16
In Ephesians 5:2, Paul writes:
> “Walk in love (*agapē*), as Christ also hath loved (*ēgapēsen*) us, and hath given himself for us…”
The verb *ēgapēsen* (He loved) is immediately tied to *gave Himself*. That shows us that agapē proves itself by giving.
In Colossians 3:14:
> “And above all these things put on charity (*agapē*), which is the bond of perfectness.”
*Agapē* here is the unifying, completing force that holds together every other grace and virtue.
When the song repeats,
“A new commandment I give unto you
That you love one another, as I have loved you,”
it is calling believers not to sentiment, but to agapē—a love that acts, gives, serves, and sacrifices.
### 2. “Bond of perfectness” — *Sundesmos tēs teleiotētos* (σύνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητος)
The phrase in Colossians 3:14 is:
So we could render it:
> “Love, which is the ligament of maturity, the bond that holds perfection together.”
Love is not an optional extra. It is the *binding power* that makes spiritual maturity possible and keeps the whole structure of Christian character from falling apart.
Where love is missing, maturity is impossible, however correct our doctrine, however impressive our gifts.
---
Let us now take the lyrics section by section, and allow Scripture to interpret Scripture.
### [Chorus]
**“A new commandment I give unto you
That you love one another, as I have loved you”**
The key words here are “new,” “commandment,” and “as I have loved you.”
#### 1. In what sense is it “new”?
Under the old covenant, love was already commanded:
> “Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart…” (Deut. 6:5)
> “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself…” (Lev. 19:18)
So love itself is not new. What is new?
John clarifies this:
> “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”
> — 1 John 2:8
The command is “new” because a new revelation of love has come in Christ, and a new ability is given by the Spirit.
Under the Law, the measure was “as yourself.” Under the Gospel, the measure is “as I have loved you.”
#### 2. “Commandment” — not suggestion
Jesus uses the Greek *entolē* (ἐντολή) — a charge, prescription, authoritative order.
This confronts a common deception in the Church. Many believers treat love as a feeling that they may or may not have. But Jesus presents love as something we are commanded to do.
If love is a command, then:
John states it bluntly:
> “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
> — 1 John 3:23
Faith and love are placed side by side as commanded responses.
#### 3. “As I have loved you”
Here is the heart of it. How has He loved us?
When He says, “as I have loved you,” He is not referring only to a feeling, but to His *entire pattern* of relating to them.
This sets the bar. We are not called merely to be “nice Christians.” We are called to reproduce the love of Christ, by the power of the Spirit, first toward our fellow believers, and then toward the world.
---
### [Verse 1]
“By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.”
This takes us to the issue of evidence. How is true discipleship recognized?
Notice what Jesus does *not* say:
All these have their place, but they are not the primary evidence. The primary mark is:
> “…if you have love one for another.”
This love is:
Where the Church fails in love, it forfeits its main witness. Many stumble not because they reject Christ Himself, but because they see churches full of criticism, division, and coldness.
John echoes this again:
> “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.”
> — 1 John 3:14
Love for the brethren is not only a testimony to the world—it is evidence to *ourselves* that we have moved from spiritual death to spiritual life.
Where there is chronic hatred, bitterness, or indifference toward fellow believers, something is fundamentally wrong at the level of spiritual life.
---
### [Verse 2]
“Walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.”
— Ephesians 5:2
Here the apostle Paul shows us three things:
1. The manner of life — “Walk in love”
2. The model — “as Christ also hath loved us”
3. The Godward dimension — “an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour”
#### 1. “Walk in love”
In Scripture, “walk” refers to a habitual way of life. Love is not occasional, it is to be our consistent pattern.
We are to:
This immediately shows that love is more than emotion. We cannot control feelings, but we can control our walk—our choices, our attitudes, our responses.
#### 2. “As Christ also hath loved us and given himself”
Again, the pattern is Christ’s self-giving love. The proof of His love is that He gave Himself.
Love that does not give, does not cost, is not biblical *agapē*.
#### 3. “A fragrant sacrificial offering to God”
Here is a vital correction: Christ’s love for us expressed in the cross was first an offering *to God*, and only second a blessing *to us*.
True love is God-centered before it is man-centered. We do not love others primarily because they deserve it, or because we feel like it, but because God is worthy of our obedience.
When we choose to love a difficult brother or sister, when we forgive, when we serve without recognition, it rises to God as a “sweetsmelling savour.” This is priestly ministry.
This lifts love out of the realm of emotionalism and puts it into the realm of worship and sacrifice.
---
### [Verse 3]
“Above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.”
— Colossians 3:14
In Colossians 3, Paul lists several virtues:
Then he says:
> “And above all these things put on love…”
Love is not one virtue among many. It is the supreme garment.
The image is of clothing:
Love is the over-garment that completes and holds together the whole outfit. It is the “bond of perfectness”—the ligament of maturity, the force that unites, solidifies, and protects.
Where love is lacking:
The song’s line,
“Above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity,”
is a direct musical proclamation of Colossians 3:14. It calls us to make love our priority, our covering, and our unifying power.
---
We must move from theory to practice. How do we obey this commandment in daily life?
### 1. First, we must receive the love of God personally
We cannot give what we have never received. The source of our love is not in our natural capacity, but in God’s love poured into our hearts.
> “…the love (*agapē*) of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
> — Romans 5:5
Before we try to love others, we must allow the Holy Spirit to reveal and apply God’s love to our own hearts—especially to wounded, rejected, or hardened places.
Some believers cannot love because, deep inside, they do not really believe God loves them. The first step is to renounce the lie of rejection and receive by faith God’s unconditional love in Christ.
A simple proclamation can help:
> “God has loved me with an everlasting love. I am accepted in the Beloved. The love of God is poured into my heart by the Holy Spirit.”
### 2. Second, we must choose love as an act of the will
Love is commanded. Therefore, it is primarily a matter of decision, not emotion.
We must say, consciously:
John is very concrete:
> “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
> — 1 John 3:18
Choose actions that express love:
We may not feel love initially, but as we obey, the Holy Spirit works in our emotions as well.
### 3. Third, we must deal ruthlessly with everything that opposes love
There are spiritual enemies of love:
Paul gives a clear instruction:
> “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.”
> — Ephesians 4:31
This is spiritual warfare. We must:
Many believers remain spiritually bound because they refuse to forgive. But Jesus tied forgiveness to love. You cannot walk in love and hold onto resentment at the same time.
### 4. Fourth, we must actively pursue unity and peace in the body
Love is not passive. It pursues reconciliation and unity.
> “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
> — Ephesians 4:3
The word “endeavouring” means “to make every effort, to be diligent.” This may include:
“Above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.” Love is the glue that holds the body of Christ together. We are called to be agents of that bond, not instruments of division.
---
### Proclamation
Speak this aloud, deliberately, as an act of faith and obedience:
> I proclaim that Jesus has given me a new commandment:
> That I love my brothers and sisters as He has loved me.
> I am not governed by my feelings, but by the Word of God.
> The love of God is poured into my heart by the Holy Spirit.
> I choose to walk in love, as Christ also loved me,
> and gave Himself for me, an offering and a sacrifice to God.
> I put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.
> By this love, all will know that I am a true disciple of Jesus.
> I renounce bitterness, hatred, and unforgiveness.
> I receive God’s love, and I release that love to the body of Christ.
> In the name of Jesus, amen.
### Prayer
Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
I thank You for revealing Your love through the cross,
and for commanding me to love as Jesus loved.
I confess that in many ways I have fallen short of this commandment.
I have allowed selfishness, pride, and unforgiveness to hinder Your love in me.
I ask You to forgive me, to cleanse me, and to change my heart.
Holy Spirit, pour the love of God afresh into my heart.
Break the power of rejection, fear, and bitterness.
Enable me to see my brothers and sisters as You see them.
Teach me to walk in love—practically, sacrificially, consistently.
Lord Jesus, You gave Yourself for me
as an offering and a sacrifice to God.
By Your grace, I present myself to God as a living sacrifice.
Use me as an instrument of love and unity in Your body.
Let my life, my words, and my relationships
bear witness that I am truly Your disciple,
because I have love for the brethren.
I ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
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