I John 3:11... This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another...
God is love (I John 4:8). If we belong to God we will love. The evil one hates. If we hate we belong to him. We must, therefor, love our brother and sisters in the Lord. In fact, Jesus said that we must love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Look at the last word there; it says we will not only have an enemy, but we will have multiple people who do not like us. We are to love them anyway.
Why would they hate us if we love them? The same reason Cain hated his brother Able, he was doing wrong and his brother was doing right. When Cain felt the guilt and conviction that comes with disobedience he thought he should get rid of the one who was making him look bad. So, he killed his brother, his hatred turned into murder.
John says that hatred is equivalent to murder. He reminds us that a murderer will not receive eternal life, so don't be confused, neither will you if you hate those around you.
Daughters, do you despise others who are different than you? How about people that offend you. How about those who have violated you in some way. There was a time in my life that someone violated me in a terrible way and I hated them. In fact, there were two people who treated me wrong. I wished them dead many times. But, God dealt with my sin and taught me how to forgive and to love instead. A and K, when we live with the love of God in our hearts, we will love others. Remember, we once hated God too, "yet while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"(Romans 5:8). If you hate, the love of the Father is not in you. Love everyone and forgive what wrongs they do to you before they even ask. Like I found out, it will free your soul.
~Dad
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