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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 does not say, “I give you a suggestion,” nor, “I give you a beautiful ideal.” He says, “I give you a commandment.” This is the language of authority. This is not optional. It is central to Christian discipleship.
The song you have before you simply sings back to the Lord what He has already spoken:
The Holy Spirit is pressing a single theme: love is not a feeling; love is the command, the standard, and the proof of true discipleship. It is also the primary battleground of spiritual warfare in our relationships.
The associated scriptures form a unified revelation:
We will see that love, as defined by Scripture, is:
1. Commanded by Christ
2. Modeled by Christ
3. Empowered by the Spirit
4. Demonstrated in the church
5. Tested in spiritual warfare
### The setting of John 13
John 13 takes place in the upper room, the night before the crucifixion. Jesus is with His disciples in an atmosphere heavy with spiritual conflict and prophetic fulfillment.
Observe the sequence:
1. Jesus washes the disciples’ feet (John 13:1–17)
2. Judas is exposed as the betrayer (John 13:21–30)
3. Jesus speaks of His departure and glory (John 13:31–33)
It is in this context—after washing their feet, while the shadow of the cross falls across the room—that Jesus says:
> “A new commandment I give unto you…”
This is not casual teaching. This is covenant language on the eve of His sacrifice.
### To whom is He speaking?
He is speaking to His disciples—those who have left all to follow Him, who have already believed in Him, who are already “clean” because of His word (John 15:3). He is not giving a general ethic for humanity. He is defining the relational standard inside the community of believers.
> “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples…” (John 13:35)
The world is not qualified to define what Christianity is. Jesus has already defined it. The recognizable mark is not our doctrine, our buildings, or our gifts, but our mutual love.
### The context of Ephesians 5:2
Ephesians is a letter to a Spirit-filled church, rich in spiritual experience. Yet Paul brings them down to a very practical command:
> “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”
> — Ephesians 5:2 (KJV)
He is writing to believers who already know the power of the Spirit, and he says: “Walk”—that is, live your daily life—in a continuous lifestyle of love modeled on Christ’s self-emptying sacrifice.
### The context of Colossians 3:14
Colossians 3 describes the “new man” and the practical outworking of being raised with Christ. Paul lists many Christian virtues—compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forgiveness. Then he adds:
> “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”
> — Colossians 3:14 (KJV)
He is saying: All these virtues are good, but there is one garment that holds the whole outfit together—love. Without love, the rest come apart.
So, John 13 shows us the command, Ephesians 5 shows us the pattern, and Colossians 3 shows us the supremacy and binding power of love.
### 1. “Love” – *agapē / agapaō*
The word for “love” in these passages is not *philia* (friendship) or *eros* (romantic desire). It is ἀγάπη (*agapē*) (noun) and ἀγαπάω (*agapaō*) (verb).
Key features of *agapē*:
John 13:34:
> “Ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, ἵνα ἀγαπᾶτε (*agapate*) ἀλλήλους· καθὼς ἠγάπησα (*ēgapēsa*) ὑμᾶς…”
“Love one another, as I have loved you…” That is *agapē* defined: His love on the cross.
This immediately corrects the modern idea that love is primarily a feeling. Biblical love:
The song’s refrain, “as I have loved you,” only has weight when we see that the original word is *agapē*—cross-shaped, covenantal, sacrificial love.
### 2. “Bond of perfect unity” – *syndesmos tēs teleiotētos*
Colossians 3:14:
> “ἡ ἀγάπη, ὅ ἐστιν σύνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητος.”
Love is the binding ligament of spiritual maturity. It is what holds the members of the Body of Christ together. When love is absent, the Body dislocates—relationships disjoint, ministries fracture, churches split.
So when the lyrics say: “Above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity,” they are echoing the Greek text:
Love is the ligament that produces and maintains spiritual completeness.
This tells us:
### Chorus: “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another, as I have loved you”
#### 1. “A new commandment”
Why does Jesus call it new?
1. The Old Testament already commanded love:
2. The newness lies not in the fact of love, but in the standard and source:
Under the Old Covenant, man was commanded to love but lacked the inward power. Under the New Covenant, God first pours His own love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5), and then commands us to express what He has already supplied.
So this commandment is *new* because:
#### 2. “As I have loved you”
This phrase destroys all vague, sentimental notions of love. Jesus is saying:
John later expands this:
> “Hereby perceive we the love 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 (KJV)
So the chorus is not simply a beautiful line. It is a call to cruciform love. It calls each believer to embrace the cross in relationships.
### Verse 1: “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.”
This is a staggering statement. Jesus says there is one decisive proof of discipleship before a watching world: mutual love.
He does not say:
He says, “if you have love one for another.”
This has at least three implications:
1. The world is watching our relationships.
Our love (or lack of it) is our evangelism. Disunity, bitterness, and division preach a false gospel.
2. Our internal relationships are part of our external witness.
You cannot separate evangelism from love in the Body. Jesus has joined them.
3. Spiritual warfare targets love.
Satan’s strategy is to destroy the visible testimony of Christ by attacking relationships among believers:
If love is the mark of discipleship, then unforgiveness, strife, and hatred are marks of defeat in spiritual warfare.
John later writes:
> “He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”
> — 1 John 3:14 (KJV)
Lack of love is not a small weakness; it is an indicator of spiritual death or severe sickness.
### 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)
This verse defines what it means to “walk in love.”
#### 1. “Walk in love”
“Walk” (*peripateō*) means a steady, habitual way of life. Love is not an occasional burst of kindness; it is the regular pattern of daily conduct.
This touches:
#### 2. “Just as Christ loved us”
Again, the pattern is Christ. But notice the direction: “loved us.” We were ungodly, sinners, enemies (Romans 5:6–10). Christ did not love us because we were lovable. He loved us because God is love.
#### 3. “And gave Himself up for us”
Here is the key: love gives itself. It does not merely give things; it gives the person.
#### 4. “An offering and a sacrifice to God”
Notice the vertical dimension: Christ’s love for us expressed itself as a sacrifice to God. True Christian love toward others is first obedience to God. It is worship.
You may say, “They do not deserve my kindness.” God answers, “You are not doing it because they deserve it, but because I deserve it.”
This makes love an act of spiritual warfare. When you respond in love to offense, you are not surrendering; you are asserting the Lordship of Christ over your emotions and circumstances.
#### 5. “A fragrant aroma”
In the Old Testament, certain sacrifices were called “a sweet savour” to the Lord (e.g., Leviticus 1:9). Christ’s total obedience, total self-giving, ascended to God as pleasing fragrance.
When we walk in love according to this pattern, our lives become a spiritual fragrance in the unseen realm—pleasing to God, offensive to Satan, attractive to the hungry.
### Verse 3: “Above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:14)
Paul has listed many virtues, but then says, “Above all…”
#### 1. “Above all”
This means love is supreme. You may have gifts, knowledge, zeal, but without love you fall below God’s standard. Paul says the same in 1 Corinthians 13:2:
> “…though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”
“Nothing” is a very strong word. Not “less effective,” but “nothing.”
#### 2. “Put on love”
This is the language of clothing. Love is a deliberate choice, like putting on a garment. You decide to wear it. You decide to keep it on.
You may wake up not “feeling” loving. Scripture does not say “feel love.” It says “put on love.” That means:
#### 3. “The bond of perfect unity” (*syndesmos tēs teleiotētos*)
Love is the binding ligament of spiritual completeness. Many churches attempt unity by:
But Scripture says the true ligament of unity is *agapē*. Unity without love is either hypocrisy or tyranny. Love without unity is an unfinished work. God’s goal is both, and love is His means.
When the song says, “Above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity,” it is calling the Body to:
Love is commanded, but God never commands without providing grace. Yet, we must respond. I will give four practical steps, each of which can be formed into a proclamation.
### 1. Recognize Love as a Command, Not an Option
First, we must accept that love is a commandment of Christ, carrying the same authority as “Thou shalt not steal” or “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
When you say, “I cannot love that person,” you are really saying, “I will not obey Christ in this area.” That is rebellion, not weakness.
Proclamation 1:
“I acknowledge that love is the commandment of my Lord Jesus Christ. I choose to submit my will to His Word: I will love my brothers and sisters, as He has loved me.”
### 2. Receive God’s Love as the Source
Second, we must receive the love of God into our own hearts.
Romans 5:5:
> “…the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
You cannot give what you have never received. Many believers are trying to love out of emptiness. You must first let God love you, heal you, affirm you in Christ.
This involves:
Proclamation 2:
“The love of God is poured out in my heart by the Holy Spirit. I am loved by God, accepted in the Beloved, and secure in His love. From this love, I choose to love others.”
### 3. Renounce Unloving Attitudes as Sin
Third, we must treat unloving attitudes as sin to be repented of, not as personality traits to be excused.
Scripture names many enemies of love:
These are not small weaknesses; they are legal grounds for satanic activity in our lives and churches. Deliverance often requires repentance in the area of relationships.
Action:
Proclamation 3:
“I renounce bitterness, resentment, hatred, and unforgiveness. They are sins and bondage. I choose to forgive those who have wronged me, as God in Christ has forgiven me. I release them and bless them in Jesus’ Name.”
### 4. Practice Love in Concrete Actions
Fourth, we must move from theory to practice. Love must be embodied in actions.
Examples:
You can ask daily: “Lord, how can I walk in love today?” Then obey the small promptings of the Spirit.
Proclamation 4:
“I choose to walk in love as a lifestyle. I will serve, give, forgive, and bear with others, as Christ has done for me. My daily walk will be a fragrant offering to God.”
### Proclamation
Say this aloud, by faith, aligning yourself with the Word of God:
> “Jesus Christ is my Lord, and I accept His Word as final authority.
> He has given me a new commandment: that I love my brothers and sisters, as He has loved me.
> I declare that I am a disciple of Jesus, and I will be known by my love for the brethren.
> The love of God is poured out in my heart by the Holy Spirit.
> I choose to walk in love, as Christ loved me and gave Himself for me, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.
> Above all, I put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.
> I renounce bitterness, hatred, strife, and unforgiveness.
> I forgive those who have sinned against me, and I bless them in the Name of Jesus.
> By the grace of God, I will love, I will forgive, I will seek peace, and I will pursue unity in the Body of Christ.
> My life and my relationships will testify that I belong to Jesus.
> Amen.”
### Prayer
“Father, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we come to You submitting to Your Word.
We confess that many times we have fallen short of this commandment of love. We have harbored resentment, we have spoken evil, we have withdrawn from our brothers and sisters. We acknowledge this as sin, and we ask You to forgive us.
Holy Spirit, pour out the love of God afresh in our hearts. Reveal to us how deeply we are loved in Christ—loved when we were unworthy, loved when we were enemies, loved unto death on the cross. From that love, enable us to love one another.
Lord Jesus, You gave Yourself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God, a fragrant aroma. We offer ourselves to You now—our bodies, our minds, our emotions, our relationships. Make our lives a fragrant offering of love to the Father.
Where there are broken relationships among believers, we ask for healing. Where there is bitterness, bring repentance. Where there is division, restore unity through the bond of peace and love.
We resist every demonic spirit that promotes hatred, division, accusation, and offense in the Body of Christ. In the Name of Jesus, we command those influences to go. We declare that the banner over us is love, the law in our midst is love, and the mark upon us is love.
Father, make us a people by whom all men may know that we are the disciples of Jesus—because we have love one for another.
We ask this in the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.”
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