What if we don’t feel love for someone? (John 15:12-14, 17)
Especially John 15:13
John 15:1 - 27
ESV - 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
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Tim Maas
Supporter
Although love is commonly viewed in an emotional context, it is, at its foundation, an act of the will. We should ask ourselves, "How would I behave toward this person if I DID have loving feelings toward him/her?", and then act that way. Over time, we will find that our feelings will follow our actions.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
God helps us to love others, especially to love other Christians. Usually, we hear "We love Him, because He first loved us." But look how other good translations render the verse: 1 John 4:19 NET We love 1 because he loved us first. NIV -- We love because he first loved us. NASB -- We love, because He first loved us. NLT -- We love each other as a result of his loving us first. MSG -- We, though, are going to love--love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. BBE -- We have the power of loving, because he first had love for us. NRSV -- We love because he first loved us. 1No object is supplied for the verb love (the author with his propensity for obscurity has left it to the readers to supply the object). The obvious objects that could be supplied from the context are either God himself or other believers (the brethren). It may well be that the author has both in mind at this point; the statement is general enough to cover both alternatives, although the following verse puts more emphasis on love for the brethren. (NLT -- If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? 1 John 4:20) When I was in college, we used a tract with Campus Crusade for Christ, which had an illustration of a train engine pulling the coal car and then the caboose, I think. It was to illustrate the relationship between FACT, FAITH, and FEELING. Fact was the engine I think, but I know for certain that feeling was the caboose. The clincher is saying, “it would be futile to try to pull the train with the caboose. We can’t live our lives letting our FEELINGS lead. Feelings will come if we do the hard work of loving others first (John 14:21). "Love is meaningless if it is not expressed in tangible form. In John's thought, love is obedience. Jesus says if we love him we will keep his commands (John 14:15, 21-24). In fact, his commands become opportunities to exhibit love (John 15:17)." --Gary M. Burge John 14:15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. (NLT) John 15:17 “This is my command: Love each other. (NLT)
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