Why did God command us to love one another?

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wanderphilos

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I have come to realize that the question in and of itself is not asked often enough, if at all. The purpose of our loving one another is important because it would let us know if we are doing (loving) correctly. An example would be loving someone enough to tell them when they are wrong (I guarantee there would be no peace in that). Loving someone enough to let them go ... (Like the father and the prodigal son). Loving yourself enough to recognize, repent, and remove your own imperfections through the stripes of Christ. After reading D'Ann's post I realize God's purpose for commanding us to love is for perfecting us and others in Christ's likeness. It only really leaves the question ... How do you love someone? ... or possibly ... How would God define perfection? ... Children (like the children of God we are) ask why so that we can better perform the given task. I want to obey God, and understanding why He wants something only makes it easier obey.

One Love,

WP
 
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D'Ann

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I have come to realize that the question in and of itself is not asked often enough, if at all. The purpose of our loving one another is important because it would let us know if we are doing (loving) correctly. An example would be loving someone enough to tell them when they are wrong (I guarantee there would be no peace in that). Loving someone enough to let them go ... (Like the father and the prodigal son). Loving yourself enough to recognize, repent, and remove your own imperfections through the stripes of Christ. After reading D'Ann's post I realize God's purpose for commanding us to love is for perfecting us and others in Christ's likeness. It only really leaves the question ... How do you love someone? ... or possibly ... How would God define perfection? ... Children (like the children of God we are) ask why so that we can better perform the given task. I want to obey God, and understanding why He wants something only makes it easier obey.

One Love,

WP

That makes a lot of sense. We always do our best to love God enough to obey Him and in obeying Him, we love others and obeying God does bring understanding. Maybe not right away... or maybe not for years, but if we continue to trust God with all of our heart... we will grow in understanding what love really is... in a spiritual way. Although, I think we will always have flaws and imperfections and if we can learn to love others and ourselves because of and/or despite of those imperfections, I think that will help us have a deeper understanding of how much God loves us and what love is as well from a spiritual aspect. Our perfection comes through and by Christ via grace... but we can strive to be like the saints... we can strive to always obey God and do the right things and when we do fall and fail, because we will due to our humanity... then we cry out abba Father forgive me and help me. As human beings we learn and grow from our mistakes. After we acknowledge our own frailties and sincerely repent, we then pick ourselves back up again by God's love and grace and continue on carrying whatever cross we are called to bear.

And you are right in that, if we really love someone, we love them enough to put it on the line and tell them the truth, but gently and respectfully, even if we know that the truth will hurt them... that being said, we should pray first always.

(Some things might take years upon years to open up with and talk about... the good news is that it is ultimately all in God's hands).
 
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SolomonVII

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Y'all are making this too hard. We were commanded to love one another because if we had been commanded to hate and revile each other...we'd have murdered ourselves into extinction 1990 years ago.
What happened in the year 18 that may have caused our extinction ?
 
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