Jesus had so much to say regarding loving one another; Matthew 22:39; "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." On one occasion Jesus was asked the question who is my neighbor and Jesus told him a story about a man who was beaten, and robbed of everything he had and how two religious leaders passed by without helping, but a Samaritan had mercy and he took care of the man. Jesus said "Go and do the same." Luke 30:30-37.
John 13:34-35; Jesus speaking, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." He was speaking of the body of Christ, fellow believers. And again in John 15:12; Jesus speaking, "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you."
And speaking of fellow believers in 1 John 2:9; "The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now." 1 John 4:20-21 NLT; "If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And He has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters."
Christ so identifies with a believer that the good or bad that we do to one another Jesus says you have done it unto Me! For instance when Saul was persecuting and hunting down members of The Way (which is how believers in Christ were identified,) the risen Jesus dramatically met Saul on the road to Damascus and listen to what He said to Saul. Acts 9:4-6; "And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? And he said, "Who are You Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting."
The most convicting and dramatic example of how closely Jesus identifies with His believers is found in Matthew 25:31-46. Please take the time to carefully read about the coming judgement for all people, Jesus uses the following example; "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?"
Matthew 25:40 NLT; "And the King will say, I tell you the truth,when you did it to one of the least of these, My brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me!"
But now hear the warning in Matthew 25:45-46 NLT; This is what Jesus said to those that did not do, all the things mentioned previously. "And He will answer, I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help Me. And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."
1 Peter 4:8 NLT; "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins."
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