‘Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another…’ (1 John 4:11)
Love is one of the key themes in this pastoral letter and in a sense what the author is saying here is that one the prime ways that we can demonstrate to others that we are Christians, is to love one another as God has loved us. It sounds simple and straightforward – and it is. Yet just pause for a second and consider how great God’s love for us was – and is – that He would give up His Son for us in the ultimate sacrifice. We may not be called upon to make a similar sacrifice, but what are we willing to give up in our love of God and of others – and is there anything preventing us from loving as we should?