The word love has many different meanings amongst different people. “I love you” is one of the most commonly used phrases. In particular, many people say they “love Jesus” or they “love God.” However, love is shown in action and deed and not just the spoken word. Further, the bible shows us how to love God through the teachings and example of Christ.

1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

We see from the scriptures above that love is the keeping of God’s commandments through the understanding of Jesus Christ. So in turn, when we love God (according to the scriptural definition), we are obedient to his word.

1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

Many people profess with their mouths, that they love God and Christ. However, this love is not shown to their neighbor, when acts such as, lying, stealing, adultery, envy and murder are committed against one another. The bible tells us that we cannot profess that we love God if we hate our brother and sister.

1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

No one of us hath seen God at any time, but we can see our brothers and sisters. Yet every day in our communities we see what has now become known as “black on black crime.” No matter where in the world we are scattered, we steal, kill and commit some of the most heinous acts against one another and yet we say that we love God; this makes us hypocrites in the eyes of God.

Matthew 15:7-8 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

As a people we have always been known to honor God with our mouths, but we continuously fall short in the keeping of his commandments. Loving our brothers and sisters consist of us applying what the world commonly refer to as the “golden rule.”

Luke 6:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Would you like someone to commit adultery with your spouse? Would you like someone to rob, kill or lie against you? Would you like having a relative or family member killed and no witness come forward, out of fear as being perceived as a snitch. In all these different scenarios, the answer is no. Yet these are some of the things that we do to one another.

Romans 13:8-10 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.  
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

All praises, honor and glory goes to God through his only begotten son Jesus Christ, who came in the flesh and showed us the ultimate love by dying on the cross for our sins. Therefore we ought to love one another.

John 15:10, 13 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.  
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.