Lesson 23. What Distinguishes the Disciples from the World

We read in John 13:35: “By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

These words were spoken by Christ immediately before His death. They relate to the commandment to love one another. God desires every disciple of Jesus to set this goal before himself—to love his friend. This command has two reciprocal sides, obligating the friend also to love his friend. In the original, it sounds like this: “agape one another” and “if ye have agape one to another.” The Lord Himself established this standard. Anything less is unacceptable. This decree tells me that I must become a possessor of such agape, become established in it, live by it, and allow it into every area of my life. If I see that it is absent within me, this does not excuse me. Rather, it testifies that this very quality of soul is lacking in all my knowledge and deeds. What should I do? I must acknowledge this fact before God—which is not news to Him—and ask Him for the gift of love and power to fulfill this commandment.

The person near me, in turn, must also have similar concerns and need.

When two or more manifestations of agape meet, they recognize one another and begin adjusting to each other and merging into one whole.

Love makes me perfect in many matters while preserving my individuality and freedom of choice. Agape makes me capable of loving, and God writes this commandment within my heart and mind. Agape is not feelings and emotions. Through its presence within my heart, it influences me and forms emotions and feelings in harmony with Heavenly joy, teaching me to express them correctly and appropriately. It is difficult to imagine a loving friend with a continually gloomy expression and standard military behavior.

And so two manifestations of agape have met. What happens? They immediately recognize one another, begin testing the depth of the relationship, and seek the boundaries within which they can act. They begin exchanging blessings reciprocally and reaching toward fellowship, influencing, complementing, and supporting one another. Human language is incapable of describing this relationship correctly, but the Bible calls it love. And that is exactly what it is.

Like a magnet, my friend’s agape attracts my agape, and mine attracts my friend’s.

But another important factor influences the relationship between my friend and me. My agape joins me to Christ, and His agape is directed toward me. The same thing happens between us. I draw closer to Jesus, and He is drawn toward me. My friend, who possesses agape toward me, is likewise drawn by that agape toward the agape of Christ. The love of Jesus is also directed toward my friend. Together, we become a triangle of love.

In geometry and statics, the triangle is the strongest geometric structure. It is capable of withstanding enormous loads without changing its shape or the dimensions of its sides. My friend and I in Christ become the strongest unit in the church of Jesus. When a congregation is filled with similar units, they form a beautiful structure and create one united organism capable of withstanding every assault, attack, and load. It is also capable of drawing in the weak and lonely and joining them to itself.

Christ and I form a connection—a straight line of our relationship. This is a relationship, but not a structure. Christ and I, and my friend and I, are already two straight lines joined together, but they do not close into a complete figure because the connection between my friend and Christ is absent. Therefore, such a conditionally strong structure stands only until the first trial. When hurricane winds arise, it may be thrown from side to side and carried about by various winds of doctrine, and over time it may be torn loose and carried into the unknown. The following combination also belongs to such a structure: my friend and Christ, and my friend and me. In such a situation, the entire problem lies in my relationship with Jesus. If it does not exist, my believing friend and I will not build much. This friendship will be conditional and will one day collapse into the abyss of temptations and trials from my side.

Likewise, the structure consisting of Christ and me, and Christ and my friend, has no strength, although a connection with God is implied in it. Such a structure may sway in every direction while its parts strike against one another. This causes pain and suffering within the church and family because there is no opportunity to create something shared and strong. Most likely, this is the most common kind of relationship among brothers and sisters.

If we look at the emerging picture, in which all of us are connected to Christ but not to one another, it will resemble a scarecrow with loose sticks striking one another whenever the wind blows, causing pain to themselves and to those near them. Such a picture will not resemble a strong bridge upon which trains of God’s grace and abundant blessings can travel. A scarecrow exists to frighten away, while a bridge exists to connect.

A connection between my friend and me without Christ on either side is merely worldly friendship. Although it is good in itself, it gives no hope of salvation and therefore is not even worth considering here.

The connection consisting of Christ and me, Christ and my friend, and my friend and me is God’s most cherished dream. He embodied it in His commandment and thereby immortalized His desire for all His disciples. He desires to see in churches and families not barricades of opinions and relationships, but bridges of love, cooperation, and understanding.

According to God’s design, this same structure of love must be present in every family. Why do we see so many divorces, so much unfaithfulness, so many scandals and so much suffering in our families? The answer is simple: the structure of agape has been damaged somewhere. Search for the cause and you will find it. Remove it with God’s help, and the relationship will become strong and beautiful.

It is so wonderful to love one another. What could be a greater blessing for any community of believers who love their Savior?

Loving one another is God’s monument and testimony to the world that love exists, that it is powerful, and that it is available to everyone who desires to possess it and live by it.

1. Please read 1 John 4:7–12; 1 Peter 1:22; 2:17; and Romans 12:9–10 in the light of this lesson.

2. What did you understand from this lesson?

3. Is the geometry of this lesson understandable to you?

4. Is the commandment concerning our love for one another a promise that God is ready to fulfill? If so, do you have hope that this is possible for you as well?

5. Do you desire to obey this commandment and fulfill it continually?

6. Why is it so important to love one another and God?

7. What do you plan to do next?