i

August 1 Daily Devotional

Love to One Another

Frans Bakker

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves. —1 Peter 4:8

Bible Reading

1 Peter 4:7–11

Devotional

The expression “one another” occurs often in Scripture, and especially in the setting of the day-to-day life of the local congregation. We often read, “Love one another fervently,” “Pray for one another,” “Admonish one another,” “Be united among one another,” “Have care for one another.” We must heed the “one anothers” of Scripture. For when love is shown to one another the Lord grants His blessings. The opposite is also true: where there is lack of love God withholds His blessings. That is why we find in our text the expression, “above all things.” The apostle Peter commands us to love one another. He even writes that this must be done fervently. “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”

Peter prefaces the command to love one another with “But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” We need to pay attention to the commandment of love by seeing it in the light of the end of all things. Because the end of the world is coming soon we are to be earnest and disciplined in our prayers. For when the end of all things comes, we all will have to give an account to God for our relationship with Him and with others. Of course, the most important issue is how man behaves toward God, but we can never separate this from our relationship to one another. How we treat one another reflects our relationship with God.

This is a difficult commandment for us to follow earnestly. From man’s perspective it is impossible to keep this commandment. For since we fell away from God in Paradise we have not only turned our backs on God, but we have also turned our backs on one another. Ever since the fall the words carved into our hearts are, “Have fervent love for yourself, instead of love for one another.” Thus in our own strength we can only request love from others; we are incapable to give love away in our own strength.

Yet God’s blessing can only be anticipated if we keep this commandment. We cannot keep it, but still we are obliged to keep it. So our lack of love leads to feelings of guilt. But he who experiences guilt starts to examine his own heart. In self-examination, the Holy Spirit turns our lack of love into a deep desire to love others. May the Lord grant that we experience guilt over our inability to give love. Let us not complain about the lack of love in others, but rather let us complain about our own lack of love. Out of this awareness, true love for others is born in the midst of the congregation. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.

 

CONTACT US

+1 215 830 0900

Contact Form

Find a Church