01 Jan 2007

January 2007-Love One Another

Bishop's Page


Bishop Hwa YungA new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
                                                  John 13:34-35


 


Love one another. This was the common message delivered by Bishop Hwa Yung to all the Annual Conferences recently concluded.

 

He drew attention to Jesus’ words to his disciples: “A new command I give to you.” What was new about this command to love when this was already found in the Old Testament? The newness was in the way Jesus showed his love to us – “As I have loved you.”

 
Jesus’ love was demonstrated, firstly, by his humble servanthood shown in the washing of his disciples’ feet. None of them were willing to serve one another in this lowly way. Secondly, Jesus’ love was expressed by giving his life totally for us, even to death. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (Jn.15:13)
  
But there is also another truth in Jesus’ words that we often miss, Bishop Hwa Yung pointed out. That is the relation between our love for one another and the effective witness to the world of the reality of God. The reality of God is seen in the love within the Church. That is the meaning of v. 35 above.

 

Jesus is not talking about loving the world but the love of Christians for one another. He is not referring to the things and programmes the church can do, important as they are. He is saying when Christians love and care for each other as Jesus loved they exhibit the very kind of love and unity that exist between the Father, Son and Spirit. This is the most effective way to show the concrete reality of God in our midst.

 

However, to love is a costly thing. To show our love in practical ways will demand much from us. Giving ourselves to serve each other humbly, to care for the needy and weak, to forgive when we are wronged, to say sorry for our wrongs, to set aside our personal agendas to work together are all costly to us. Yet this is far less than what Jesus has done and we too are called to give our life for one another.

Bishop Hwa Yung then challenged the church to take this command to love seriously, and to be willing to pay the cost as Jesus did. If we are to truly love one another then the world will see a very different church. The world is looking at us and taking note. Will it be possible for people to see what God is like in the transformed lives and the way Christians love and care for one another?