After Judas left, Jesus told His disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Jesus said this is a new commandment, but how is it new? The commandment to love is old. The Lord commanded in Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Also, the Lord commanded His people in Leviticus 19:18, “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” The commandment to love is old, but it is also new. John, speaking of the commandment to love, wrote: “Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you” (1 John 2:7–8a). This is a new commandment in that it is based on a new criterion and has a new commission as it is in the New Covenant (Heb 8).
A New Criterion
This is a new commandment because it is based on a new criterion. Jesus said, “as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” How has Christ loved us? Sacrificially! The sacrificial love of Christ is our standard for evaluating our love. Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Are we loving one another just like Christ loves us? Jesus’ love is heavenly, sacrificial love; not a worldly, selfish love.
Not a Worldly, Selfish Love
Worldly love is selfish. In 1 John 2:15 we are told, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Why are we told not to love the world? It is because “all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). We are not to love the world because if we love the world, we will love like the world loves. This is unacceptable because the world’s love is selfish. Christians must refuse to be seduced by the selfish love of man because it is fleeting (1 John 2:17).
Milton Vincent wrote about selfishness “I love myself supremely because I am the most worthy person I know to be loved and also because I think I can do a better job at it than anyone else.” He says there are two reasons for selfish love: 1) Fear: “I fear that if I do not love myself there would be no one left to love me quite so well as I do.” and 2) Arrogance: “a lack of persuasion that there is someone out there who is worthy to be loved more than I.” This selfish love is abhorred by God. Worldly love is ungodly (1 John 3:10) and the practice of selfish love is an indication that you may not truly be a Christian (1 John 3:17). Christians cannot pursue selfish love (or hate one another) and have confidence that we have truly passed from death into life (1 John 3:14).
A Heavenly, Sacrificial Love
God’s love is sacrificial. God’s love is not based on what we can do for Him. It is not based on our appearance, our money, our heritage, or anything we have or have not done. God’s love is based on His Own holiness. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus “laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). John also wrote, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Jesus shows His love for us by dying for our sins so that we may be forgiven and reconciled back to the Father. The gospel is liberating and satisfying. The love of God is not selfish, but sacrificial.
A New Commission
This is a new commandment because it has a new commission. Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Those who claim to be followers of Jesus will authenticate this claim when they sacrificially love one another. This is at the heart of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount when He spoke of loving more than just our friends, but loving even our enemies (Matt 5:43-48). How do we love sacrificially? There are many ways, but three categories we will consider are: unity, accountability, and humility.
Unity
We demonstrate Christlike love when we live in unity with one another. The Bible describes this unity as based upon: 1) the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16-17), 2) the new birth (2 Cor 5:17), and 3) union with Christ (2 Cor 13:5). Unity is expressed by oneness of mind (1 Peter 3:8), the same Spirit (Psalm 133:1-3), genuine faith (Eph 4:4-6), sincere fellowship (Acts 2:42-47), and concern (1 Cor 12:25-26). This doesn’t mean our differences disappear or that we embrace false doctrine, but our differences glorify God as we unite together. We are like a puzzle in which pieces of different shapes and colors join together for a beautiful picture!
Accountability
We demonstrate Christlike love when we submit to the God-ordained authorities in your life. We are not answerable to just anyone, but we cannot love one another while living in rebellion against God and His established areas of authority. For example, Children, are you submissive to your parents (Eph 6:1)? Wives, are you submissive to your husbands (Eph 5:22)? Young Christians, are you submissive to older Christians (1 Pet 5:5)? Church members, are you submissive to one another (1 Pet 5:5) and to your Pastor (Hebrews 13:17)? Christians, are you submissive to the government? A proud heart is not loving. We genuinely love one another when we have accountability in our life.
Humility
We demonstrate Christlike love when we humble ourselves before God and one another. We can do this when we understand our own sinfulness (Luke 18:13-14) in light of God’s holiness (Is 6:1-8) and righteousness (Phil 3:4-9). With Christ’s own example in mind (Phil 2:5-11), let us put on humility (Col 3:12), be clothed with humility (1 Pet 5:5), walk with humility (Eph 4:1-2), avoid false humility (Col 2:18-23). We genuinely love one another when we are humble.
Those who claim to be followers of Jesus will authenticate this claim when they sacrificially love one another. Leonard Ravenhill said, “The world out there is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity; it’s waiting for a new demonstration of Christianity.” We demonstrate our faith in Jesus when we love one another and our enemies as Christ has loved us. Paul wrote, “let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal 6:9).
First Baptist Scott City, MO 
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