DISCIPLE LOVE COMMAND!

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:35, KJV)

ABSTRACT

This article examines the essence of Jesus’ teaching in the upper room, emphasizing love as the defining mark of true discipleship. It discusses how this love distinguishes God’s children in the great controversy, operates as a divine principle, endures through hatred and division, and secures eternal triumph in heaven’s kingdom.

UPPER ROOM MYSTERY!

The air in the upper room was thick with the scent of roasted lamb, bitter herbs, and the dry, dusty sweetness of unleavened bread. Outside, Jerusalem hummed with the energy of the Passover, a city teeming with pilgrims, their voices a low murmur that rose and fell like a distant sea. But inside this quiet, lamp-lit space, another kind of energy was gathering. It was the heavy, charged atmosphere of a final gathering, a sense of impending separation that hung unspoken among the twelve men reclining with their Master. They felt it, but they did not understand it. Love binds us in fellowship during such sacred times, as seen in “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart” (Acts 2:46, KJV) and “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1, KJV). Ellen G. White describes, “The disciples knew the direction to go to find the guest chamber, and they went. But they went on their errand with heavy hearts. The dark shadow that Christ had mentioned still hung over them, and they were silent and preoccupied” (The Desire of Ages, p. 643, 1898). She adds, “As they ascended the hill, the sun set, and night came on” (The Desire of Ages, p. 643, 1898). Their minds, still tethered to the earth, were preoccupied with other matters.

They were still arguing, even now, in the shadow of the cross they could not yet see. Whispers rustled between them, glances were exchanged—who among them was the greatest? Who would sit at His right hand when the glory of the new kingdom was finally revealed? Their hearts were filled with a mixture of genuine devotion, fierce loyalty, and a stubborn, all-too-human ambition. They loved Him, yes, but their love was tangled in a web of self-interest and misunderstanding. They saw a king, a throne, a political restoration. He saw a sacrifice, a tomb, and a spiritual kingdom that would have to be built, stone by living stone, in the hearts of broken men and women. Unity overcomes such ambition, as “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Philippians 2:2, KJV) and “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21, KJV). Sr. White notes, “The disciples had been much disappointed that Jesus had not joined the throng that was apparently bent on taking Him by force and proclaiming Him king” (The Desire of Ages, p. 642, 1898). She further observes, “In their self-glory the disciples had lost sight of Christ’s words foretelling His sufferings” (The Desire of Ages, p. 642, 1898).

And so, He rose. Not to deliver a lecture on eschatology or to unveil the final secrets of the universe, but to do something so profoundly simple, so shockingly counter-cultural, that it silenced their squabbling. He girded Himself with a towel, knelt, and began to wash their feet. The Creator knelt before the created. The Master served the servants. This was not just an act of hygiene; it was a living parable, a sermon acted out in water and humility. It was a prelude to the most critical instruction He would ever give them. Humility serves as the foundation of love, reflected in “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13, KJV) and “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24, KJV). Sr. White writes, “Christ now explained to His disciples that His own life of self-abnegation was an example of what their life should be” (The Desire of Ages, p. 649, 1898). She continues, “The act of Christ in washing the feet of His disciples was designed to set forth a higher cleansing” (The Desire of Ages, p. 645, 1898). In these final, precious hours, with all the cosmic truths He could have imparted, why did Jesus choose to focus their attention on a single, “new” commandment? What made this one directive so urgent, so foundational, that it would become the defining, unmistakable mark of their entire mission for all time to come?

UNMISTAKABLE MARK!

The ultimate proof of a genuine connection to Christ is not found in the precision of one’s doctrinal knowledge, the power of one’s spiritual gifts, or the outward appearance of piety. It is located, instead, in a quality that is both profoundly simple and divinely difficult: the observable, active love we have for one another. After the lesson of the towel and the basin had settled into their stunned minds, Christ gave them the new insignia of their discipleship, the spiritual uniform by which they would be recognized in a hostile world. He declared, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35, KJV). Love reveals true discipleship, as “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (1 John 4:7, KJV) and “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment” (1 John 3:23, KJV). Sr. White states, “Many of those who profess to love the Saviour neglect to love those who are united with them in Christian fellowship” (Counsels for the Church, p. 44, 1991). She adds, “In the church of God today brotherly love is almost forgotten” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 550, 1911).

This command must have struck the disciples as strange. A “new” commandment? The concept of loving one’s neighbor was woven into the very fabric of their faith, enshrined in the law they had known since childhood: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Leviticus 19:18, KJV). What made this commandment new was not its subject, but its standard. The benchmark for their love was no longer the flawed, self-referential measure of “as thyself.” The new, terrifyingly high standard was now a person: “as I have loved you.” This shifted the entire foundation of their ethics from a rule of human reciprocity to a demonstration of divine sacrifice. They were to love each other with the same quality of love they had received from Him—a love that was patient with their slowness, forgiving of their failures, and persistent even in the face of their impending betrayal. Love perfects unity, as “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness” (Colossians 3:14, KJV) and “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12, KJV). Sr. White explains, “Love is the basis of godliness. Whatever the profession, no man has pure love to God unless he has unselfish love for his brother” (Steps to Christ, p. 59, 1892). She further says, “In the heart renewed by divine grace, love is the principle of action. It modifies the character, governs the impulses, controls the passions, subdues enmity, and ennobles the affections” (Steps to Christ, p. 59, 1892).

This was a radical redefinition of what it meant to be God’s people. The servant of the Lord penetrates to the heart of this newness: “To the disciples this commandment was new; for they had not loved one another as Christ had loved them. He saw that new ideas and impulses must control them; that new principles must be practiced by them; through His life and death they were to receive a new conception of love. The command to love one another had a new meaning in the light of His self-sacrifice” (The Desire of Ages, p. 677, 1898). This “new conception” is the very essence of the gospel. It is a love that does not originate within the human heart; it is received from Christ and then reflected toward others. It is the tangible evidence that a supernatural transformation has occurred, that “the image of God is being restored in humanity, that a new principle of life has been implanted” ( The Desire of Ages, p. 678, 1898). Love transforms the community, as “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22, KJV) and “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (John 15:8, KJV). Sr. White comments, “The religion of Christ will unite in close brotherhood all who accept its teachings” (The Great Controversy, p. 591, 1911). She also writes, “The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 470, 1905).

The implication is staggering. Our effectiveness, our authenticity, our very identity as followers of Christ is tied directly to the quality of love we demonstrate within our own communities. A church that is doctrinally sound but relationally fractured is a walking contradiction. A people who can defend the Sabbath with intricate proofs but cannot forbear with one another in love have missed the weightier matters of the law. The most powerful sermon we will ever preach is not delivered from a pulpit, but is lived out in the way we treat each other. A community bound together, not by force or self-interest, but by this self-sacrificing love, is the world’s most compelling evidence that Jesus was sent from God. It is the ultimate apologetic, the final, irrefutable proof. Unity demands this love, as “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3, KJV) and “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up” (1 Corinthians 13:4, KJV). Sr. White affirms, “Today brotherly love is greatly lacking” (Counsels for the Church, p. 44, 1991). She elaborates, “The cause of Christ is to be bound to the hearts of His followers by a tie stronger and closer than any earthly union—the tie of love” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 520, 1911). What role does this love play in the cosmic battle between good and evil?

WAR OF PRINCIPLES!

This divine love is more than just a personal virtue or a requirement for a healthy church culture; it is a cosmic identifier. The line between the children of God and the children of the devil, between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of this world, is not drawn by profession, affiliation, or creed. It is drawn by the active, governing principle of love. The presence or absence of this love for our brethren makes manifest our true allegiance in the great controversy between Christ and Satan. Love identifies allegiance, as “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another” (1 John 3:11, KJV) and “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:11, KJV). Sr. White observes, “The brotherly love that Christ had enjoined, and, saddest of all, they were unconscious of their loss” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 548, 1911). She notes, “What a wonderful statement; but, oh, how poorly practiced!” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 550, 1911).

The apostle John, the disciple of love, leaves no room for ambiguity on this point. He employs the strongest possible language to frame this as a fundamental test of reality. He writes, “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (1 John 3:10, KJV). The test is binary. The evidence is clear. The failure to love one’s brother is not presented as a minor character flaw to be worked on, but as a primary indicator of one’s spiritual parentage. John doubles down on this logic, exposing the hypocrisy of a faith that is purely vertical, with no horizontal expression: “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? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21, KJV). The logic is inescapable. If we cannot love the brother we can see, touch, and interact with, our professed love for an invisible God is a self-deception, a lie. Love exposes hypocrisy, as “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (1 Corinthians 13:13, KJV) and “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16, KJV). Sr. White emphasizes, “The love of Christ is not a fitful feeling, but a living principle, which is to be made manifest as an abiding power in the heart” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 550, 1911). She declares, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 548, 1911).

This stark declaration finds its full meaning within the framework of the Great Controversy, the central theme of Scripture and a pillar of Adventist understanding. Satan’s government is founded upon the principle of self-exaltation, competition, and force. God’s government is founded upon the opposite principle: self-sacrificing love. Therefore, every genuine act of brotherly love is a direct blow to the kingdom of darkness and a powerful testimony to the beauty and rightness of God’s kingdom. Sr. White confirms that this love is the absolute, non-negotiable core of Christian identity: “No matter how high the profession, he whose heart is not filled with love for God and his fellow men is not a true disciple of Christ. Though he should possess great faith and have power even to work miracles, yet without love his faith would be worthless” ( The Acts of the Apostles, p. 318, 1911). Love strikes against darkness, as “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12, KJV) and “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)” (2 Corinthians 10:4, KJV). Sr. White asserts, “It is Satan’s constant effort to misrepresent the character of God, the nature of sin, and the real issues at stake in the great controversy” (The Great Controversy, p. 591, 1911). She explains, “The religion of Christ will unite in close brotherhood all who accept its teachings. It will make them His witnesses to a perishing world” (The Great Controversy, p. 591, 1911).

This understanding transforms the abstract cosmic conflict into a concrete, daily reality. We are not merely instructors of doctrine; we are recruiters and trainers for a spiritual war. The primary weapon in this conflict is not argumentation, and the uniform is not a particular style of dress, but the visible garment of a love that mirrors the love of Christ. A church community that fails in this area, that allows bitterness, envy, and division to fester, is an outpost that has been compromised by the enemy. It has lost its identifying mark and its moral power. The great controversy is won or lost, minute by minute, in the small interactions between brethren, where we choose either the principle of self or the principle of Christlike love. How does love manifest beyond mere emotion in this battle?

MORE THAN A FEELING!

In a world that defines love primarily as a romantic feeling or a fleeting emotion, the biblical conception of love stands in stark, revolutionary contrast. The love that Christ commands, the love that identifies a true disciple, is not a sentimental impulse. It is a divine principle, a permanent and unyielding power that, when planted in the heart, actively modifies character, governs impulses, controls passions, and ennobles affections. It is a choice, an action, a state of being that is rooted in the very character of God. Love acts as principle, as “Charity beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7, KJV) and “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31, KJV). Sr. White clarifies, “The love of Christ is not a fitful feeling, but a living principle, which is to be made manifest as an abiding power in the heart” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 550, 1911). She states, “Love is of God. The unconsecrated heart cannot originate or produce it. It is found only in the heart where Jesus reigns” (Steps to Christ, p. 59, 1892).

The Apostle Paul defines this love not by how it feels, but by what it does—and what it does not do. “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10, KJV). Love is the engine of obedience. It is the great motive that translates the written code of the Ten Commandments into a living reality. It is not merely the absence of harm, but the active pursuit of our neighbor’s good. Similarly, the Apostle Peter calls for a love that is strenuous and intentional: “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8, KJV). The word “fervent” implies intensity, a focused energy. This is the language of deliberate action, not passive emotion. Love fulfills the law, as “But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister” (Matthew 20:26, KJV) and “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28, KJV). Sr. White describes, “In the heart renewed by divine grace, love is the principle of action. It modifies the character, governs the impulses, controls the passions, subdues enmity, and ennobles the affections. This love, cherished in the soul, sweetens the life and sheds a refining influence on all around” (Steps to Christ, p. 59, 1892). She adds, “The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 470, 1905).

This distinction is the key to understanding how Christianity can be practical. If love were merely a feeling, God’s command to love our enemies would be an impossible and cruel burden. How can a fallen human heart generate warm feelings for one who has done it harm? But because love is a divine principle, it becomes a choice—a decision of a will sanctified by grace to act for the ultimate good of another, regardless of personal feeling or the cost to self. Sr. White makes this distinction with absolute clarity: “Supreme love for God and unselfish love for one another—this is the best gift that our heavenly Father can bestow. This love is not an impulse, but a divine principle, a permanent power. The unconsecrated heart cannot originate or produce it. Only in the heart where Jesus reigns is it found” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 551, 1911). It is this principle, and this principle alone, that can give us the strength to endure trial and resist temptation, for it anchors our actions not in the shifting sands of our emotions, but in the solid rock of God’s character ( Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 49-50, 1900). Love empowers obedience, as “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” (Luke 6:35, KJV) and “Let brotherly love continue” (Hebrews 13:1, KJV). Sr. White emphasizes, “Christ recognized no distinction of nationality or rank or creed. The scribes and Pharisees desired to make a local and a national benefit of the gifts of heaven, and to exclude the rest of God’s family in the world. But Christ came to break down every wall of partition” (The Desire of Ages, p. 503, 1898). She further notes, “He taught that religion consists in soul cleansing, soul strengthening, soul union with God” (The Desire of Ages, p. 503, 1898).

This profound theological truth finds its most beautiful and practical expression in the church through the Ordinance of Humility. The washing of feet, which precedes the Lord’s Supper, is not a mere ritual or an empty tradition. It is the quarterly recommitment of the church to this very principle. When we kneel to wash our brother’s or sister’s feet, we are making a conscious choice to set aside our pride, our feelings, our personal grievances, and to serve them as Christ served His disciples. It is love as a principle, acted out. It is a powerful, physical reminder that our fellowship is based not on our personal affinities, but on our shared submission to the example of our Lord. It prepares our hearts for communion with Him by first ensuring we are in communion with each other, not through perfect emotional harmony, but through a shared, willed obedience to the principle of self-sacrificing love. How does this love withstand the fires of conflict and hatred?

FORGED IN FIRE!

The genuineness of a precious metal is proven by fire. In the same way, the authenticity of our Christ-like love is proven not in times of ease and comfort, but in the crucible of conflict. It is when we are confronted with hatred from the world and painful disagreements from within that the divine principle of love is most severely tested and, if held fast, most gloriously revealed. Christ did not promise His followers a path of worldly acceptance. Immediately after commanding them to love one another, He warned them of the world’s inevitable opposition. Love endures trials, as “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Matthew 5:11, KJV) and “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14, KJV). Sr. White warns, “Persecution and reproach await all who are imbued with the Spirit of Christ” (Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 29, 1896). She observes, “The character of the persecution changes with the times, but the principle—the spirit that underlies it—is the same that has slain the chosen of the Lord ever since the days of Abel” (Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 29, 1896).

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you,” He stated plainly. “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18-19, KJV). He presents worldly hatred not as a sign of failure, but as a confirmation of faithfulness. It is the natural reaction of a world that loves darkness to the presence of light. “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved” (John 3:20, KJV). To be loved by the world is often a sign of compromise; to be hated for righteousness’ sake is a badge of honor, a mark of true discipleship. Faithfulness invites opposition, as “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12, KJV) and “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, KJV). Sr. White states, “Between righteousness and sin, love and hatred, truth and falsehood, there is an irrepressible conflict” (Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 29, 1896). She adds, “They did not realize that happiness and joy were going out of their lives as they refused to exercise the spirit of brotherly love that Christ had taught” (Counsels for the Church, p. 44, 1991).

This reality is captured in the concept of an unending spiritual battle. As Sr. White powerfully states, “Between righteousness and sin, love and hatred, truth and falsehood, there is an irrepressible conflict…. Persecution and reproach await all who are imbued with the Spirit of Christ. The character of the persecution changes with the times, but the principle—the spirit that underlies it—is the same that has slain the chosen of the Lord ever since the days of Abel” (Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 29, 1896). This conflict is not only external. Perhaps its most painful manifestation is when disagreements over principle arise among brethren. Conflict tests love, as “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31, KJV) and “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32, KJV). Sr. White remarks, “Today brotherly love is greatly lacking” (Counsels for the Church, p. 44, 1991). She cautions, “Many of those who profess to love the Saviour neglect to love those who are united with them in Christian fellowship” (Counsels for the Church, p. 44, 1991).

This provides a vital framework for us today. We are called to love our brethren with a fervent, self-sacrificing love. This love compels us to be patient, kind, and long-suffering. It leads us to place the most favorable construction on the motives of others. However, this love does not require us to sacrifice one principle of truth. The highest expression of love is faithfulness to God’s revealed will, for His law is the foundation of our eternal well-being. When we must stand for an unpopular truth, or reprove sin, it must never be done with a spirit of self-righteousness or condemnation, but with the grieving heart of Christ, who wept over Jerusalem even as He pronounced its doom. Our work is to counsel members who face ridicule from family or society for their faithfulness to God’s law, and to prepare them for the reality that the path of truth is narrow. The goal is never to be contentious, but always to be faithful, embodying a love that is strong enough to speak the truth, and tender enough to bind up the wounds that conflict can cause. Fidelity expresses love, as “Open rebuke is better than secret love” (Proverbs 27:5, KJV) and “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6, KJV). Sr. White teaches, “The spirit of love and conciliation should govern them” (From Eternity Past, p. 79, 1983). She urges, “A willingness to yield their own way, and a spirit of love and conciliation should govern them” (From Eternity Past, p. 79, 1983). What eternal reward awaits those who live this love?

PILLAR IN THE TEMPLE!

The struggles and trials of this life are not the final chapter. Every act of patient forbearance, every choice to forgive rather than retaliate, every sacrifice made in the service of another is an investment in eternity. The character that is forged in the daily practice of divine love on this earth is the very character that qualifies us for citizenship in the kingdom of heaven. It is the one attribute we develop here that will endure for all time. Love invests in eternity, as “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:20, KJV) and “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1, KJV). Sr. White describes, “In our life here, earthly, sin-restricted though it is, the greatest joy and the highest education are in service. And in the future state, untrammeled by the limitations of sinful humanity, it is in service that our greatest joy and our highest education will be found” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 362, 1905). She affirms, “Godliness, brotherly kindness, and love to God and to one another” (Christian Education, p. 5, 1894).

The Apostle Paul, in his majestic hymn to love, elevates it above all other spiritual gifts and graces for one singular reason: its permanence. “Charity never faileth,” he declares, “but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away” (1 Corinthians 13:8, KJV). Prophecies find their fulfillment, knowledge becomes obsolete in the face of divine reality, but love—the very essence of God’s character—is the eternal atmosphere of heaven. It is the one thing we take with us through the gates of pearl. This eternal significance is underscored in Christ’s promise to the church of Philadelphia—a name which means “brotherly love.” To those who overcome, He promises ultimate security and identity: “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God…” (Revelation 3:12, KJV). Love endures forever, as “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12, KJV) and “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16, KJV). Sr. White explains, “The pure and holy garments are not prepared to be put on by any one after he has entered the gate of the city. All who enter will have on the robe of Christ’s righteousness, and the name of God will be seen in their foreheads” (Sons and Daughters of God, p. 370, 1955). She adds, “This name is the symbol which the apostle saw in vision, and signifies the yielding of the mind to intelligent and loyal obedience to all of God’s commandments” (Sons and Daughters of God, p. 370, 1955).

This life, therefore, is the fitting-up time for heaven. The work of sanctification is nothing less than the process of having God’s own character of love written into our hearts and minds. It is the preparation of our characters for a society where love is the only law and the only motive. Sr. White describes this preparation as essential and prerequisite to entering heaven: “The pure and holy garments are not prepared to be put on by any one after he has entered the gate of the city. All who enter will have on the robe of Christ’s righteousness, and the name of God will be seen in their foreheads. This name is the symbol which the apostle saw in vision, and signifies the yielding of the mind to intelligent and loyal obedience to all of God’s commandments” (Sons and Daughters of God, p. 370, 1955). Brotherly love is not merely a command to be obeyed on earth; it is the very fabric of the heavenly society we are preparing to join. Sanctification writes love, as “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Galatians 5:22, KJV) and “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, KJV). Sr. White teaches, “Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 522, 1911). She urges, “Up to the day of his death he urged upon believers the constant exercise of brotherly love” (Counsels for the Church, p. 44, 1991).

Let us, then, return to that upper room. Let us feel the weight of that final, greatest commandment. Let us see every interaction—every Bible study with a seeking soul, every business meeting with fellow members, every painful conflict that tests our patience, every quiet act of service—as a precious opportunity to weave this eternal fabric of love. The most profound and convincing truth we can ever share is not found in a prophecy chart or a complex doctrinal proof-text, as vital as those may be. It is found in the living, breathing, sacrificial love we show to one another. For it is by this, and this alone, that all the world will look upon us and know, without a doubt, that we are His disciples.

If you have a prayer request, please leave it in the comments below. Prayer meetings are held on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. To join, enter your email address in the comments section.

PEOPLE OF THE BOOK

DISCIPLE LOVE COMMAND!

Leave a comment Cancel reply