True disciples bear the fruit of love
True disciples bear the fruit of love
Love is the inevitable fruit of true, living faith in Jesus Christ.
The apostle John says this unequivocally: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7–8, ESV)
Thus, the person who lacks love does not have living faith in Jesus, is not a disciple of Jesus, and is not a Christian, no matter what he claims.
Christian stalwarts?
This is so even if people show many other signs of faith. Notice the impressive list of qualifications of church members in the ancient city of Ephesus, who nevertheless were on the verge of being rejected by Christ. In Revelation 2:2–5, Jesus warns them:
“I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”
Hatred
On the other end of the scale, the sin of persistently hating another Christian is a sign of being a person who is in the darkness rather than the light:
First John 2:9–11 says, “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
This is a level of darkness incompatible with a true Christian.
The apostle John confirms this in 1 John 3:14–15: “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
The sinner’s ultimate question
A Bible expert once asked Jesus the most important question pointblank: What must I do to be saved? Luke 10:25–28 says:
“Behold, a lawyer stood up to put [Jesus] to the test, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? How do you read it?’ And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.’”
Does this mean a person can be saved by obeying the two most important commands of the Law without receiving Jesus? No, the rest of the New Testament makes that clear. No one can perfectly keep these commandments, and therefore everyone needs the salvation that comes through faith in Christ (Romans 3:10–26).
Nevertheless, Jesus’ response to the man’s question reveals the sure mark of having eternal life: love for both God and people.
As the apostle John confirms: “By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3–4, ESV)
Further confirmation
If you need further confirmation that love is the essential sign of true and living faith in Jesus, read on:
The apostle John writes: “(10) By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. (11) For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. … (16) By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. … (23) And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. (24) Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 3:10–11, 16, 23–24 ESV)
In John 15:8–17, Jesus said: “(8) By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (9) As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. (10) If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love…. (12) “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (13) Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (14) You are my friends if you do what I command you…. (17) These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”
In John 13:34–35, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Conclusion
Without question, love is the inevitable fruit of true, living faith in Jesus Christ—faith that receives him as Lord, Savior, and ultimate treasure.
If your love is lacking, what you need to do is not to try harder to love others; rather, you need to truly receive Christ as Lord, Savior, and ultimate treasure. Repent of your sins. Then give yourself to loving him. Ask him to pour his love into your heart through the Holy Spirit. And out of love for him, obey his command to love your neighbors and your fellow believers as yourself.