Love the Beloved

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever has been born of God and knows God.”

In the Great Commandment (Matt. 22: 34-40), Jesus tells us to love our neighbors. In this passage, John is referring to something different. His opening of “Beloved” implies that what follows is intended for his fellow Christians. He further clarifies that this message to “love one another” is for the Christian community by referring to the audience as those who have been born of God and who know God.

We are called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ in a different manner than we are to love our neighbor. Not better or worse, not more or less, but different. Paul also sets apart how we are to love other Christians in Romans 12:10, “Love one another with brotherly affection…” Brotherly affection can only be shown toward a person who shares in the family of Christ. We are to love each other in a special way because we are unified in an understanding of love that has been laid on our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We are connected by the same spirit of love, life, and faith. We are a Christian family and share in the same values that are required of us by our heavenly Father.

Shortly after Paul’s words to love one another with brotherly affection, he encourages the brothers and sisters to, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Rom. 12:12-13). Later he writes, “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15). We need to look no further than these wonderful words from Paul to give us some guidance on how to love our brothers and sisters during this difficult time. We should encourage each other in the great hope we have in our perfect savior. We should speak patience and not panic into each other’s hearts during this time of tribulation. We should be constant in prayer and pray for one another. We should contribute to each other’s needs understanding that being instructed to stay at home will impact some much greater than others. Finally, we should rejoice with those who are overcoming and weep with those who are struggling.

Let us love the beloved.