Abiding in Him – John 15

~ Deepening our Relationship with Christ ~

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The Need for Love
John 15:12

Paul J. Bucknell

The Bible Teaching Commentary
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Walking With Jesus - Abiding in Christ | Description and Purchase

Purpose: The Need for Love - John 15:12 is the eighth step instructing us from John 15:12 how necessary love is in growing in intimacy with our God.

# 8 The Need for Love (John 15:12)

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

You might then ask, “What commandments are we to obey?” This is a good question. Christ has filled the scripture with many commands. In verse 10 Jesus uses the word ‘commandments’ with an ‘s’ on the end.

In John 15:12 Jesus isolates one of these commands that seems to summarize the many commands, “Love one another just as I have loved you.”

Do you remember how Jesus loved us? He laid down His life for us. The Apostle Paul twice in Romans 13 says that love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:8, 10).

Only by preferring the other above our own needs can we avoid the hosts of sins that plague our nation. Love is the opposite of lust. Love forgives. Peace results from the humbling of oneself when we apologize for our wrongs.

Love always calls us to prefer the needs of others rather than living for our own desires.

This is exactly what God did when He sent His only Son Christ into the world to die for sinners. God’s love enabled others to participate in His great program and reap those rewards. God’s kingdom is a kingdom of love.

Personal Reflection

Have you determined to love others?
Have you purposed to lift the needs of others above yourself?
If others take advantage of yourself, will you still care about them.
If others treat you badly, you will pray and seek how God will enable you to love them.

All these things are from God. This is the way God extends His kingdom in the world. Love is from God. We need to abide in Christ if we are to live out His love.

“This I command you, that you love one another” (John 15:17).

Let me close in the following pages with a few illustrations on how God so dramatically used the thoughts from this passage in my life. They will illustrate how all these points work together.

=> Continue reading: Genuine Friendship John 15:15-16

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