"And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."

It's love! Almost anything can be interpreted as a metaphor. A large number of Christians have attempted to look it up in a dictionary or lexicon. However, they are unaware that the most significant word for love, agape, is defined by its outcome. The meaning of agape before Christians acquired the word was the same as it is today: unconditional love. In 1 John, however, what God does demonstrates what love is. As a result of God's care, we can see how much He loves us. In the same manner, He instructs us to treat our siblings with respect. The expression of love must go beyond mere words; it must be accompanied by action.

Some things are easy to understand. We can't love God and hate each other at the same time. This is easy to figure out. On the other hand, some of our family in the Lord can be so hard to love that it's hard to love them at all. But we need to remember that when Christ died for us, we were helpless, evil, sinful, and God's enemies (Romans 5:6–11). But God still loved us and sent Jesus to save us. So before we complain about Christians who are "hard to live with," we should be thankful that God loved us even when we were bad. Then we should thank God for His grace by loving each other more.

John has been telling us over and over again for more than a week: we have to love each other as Christians. But this reminder is the last straw. If we love God, we must also love His children—our Christian brothers and sisters. The word is not "should," "will try," or "want to." No, we have to. Scripture is careful not to have too many "you must" or "you shall" commands. God's message is clear: love is not a choice, a negotiation, or something that can be put off. God sent Jesus to die to pay for everyone's sins. How can we not love the people Christ died for? "God's love drives us," Paul tells the Corinthians. Love is a must.

Love! It can mean almost anything. Many Christians have tried to look it up in a dictionary or lexicon, but they don't realize that the most important word for love, agape, is defined by what it does. Before Christians got their hands on the word, agape meant the same thing as it does now: anything. But if you read 1 John, what God does shows what love is. God shows how much He cares. He tells us to do the same thing for our siblings. Love must be more than just words; it must be shown through actions.