Verse 35
That supernatural love would distinguish disciples of Jesus. Love for one another would mark them off as His disciples. It is possible to be a disciple of Jesus without demonstrating much supernatural love. However that kind of love is what bears witness to a disciple’s connection with Jesus and thereby honors Him (cf. 1 John 3:10-23; John 4:7-16). John’s first epistle is really an exposition of the themes that Jesus set forth in the upper room discourse. [Note: See John R. Yarid Jr., "John’s Use of the Upper Room Discourse in First John" (Ph.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 2002).] Every believer manifests some supernatural love since the loving God indwells him or her (1 John 3:14). However, it is possible to quench and to grieve the indwelling Spirit so that we do not manifest much love (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30).
Jesus taught His disciples to love their enemies in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:43-47). Here He taught us to love one another. These instructions do not contradict one another or present two different standards. They simply point in different directions.
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