We've sadly learned to base our ability to love upon conditions

1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

Heard from the beginning-

-we should LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

A new commandment- an ADDITIONAL commandment- a commandment that is an addition to the moral ten. This addition to the commandments, this new command was necessary because our SAVIOR was manifested to us and an example to look to- an example that had NOT existed before.

LOVE as HE LOVED.

Jesus was manifested. Jesus' love was manifested to mankind. Jesus - God taking on human flesh and loving us as a Son of God in a way that He couldn't for thousands of years.

So while Jesus could say this in answer to the question--

Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The man asking the question of our Savior was speaking of the moral commandments and Jesus said- on THESE two commandments hang ALL the law and the prophets.

The first and the second.

And Jesus could also say this in answer to the question--

Mat 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Mat 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Mat 19:18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Mat 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

The commandments of the MORAL law!

The moral law of the ten commandments were given to guide us into a full love of God and a full love of our fellowman.

Our Savior LIVED the law perfectly never straying from it for a single instance- how do I know? Our Savior was sinless. Being sinless means not transgressing the law of God, because sin is a transgression of the law. Jesus loved God perfectly, Jesus loved his fellowman perfectly, and He is our perfect example.

1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

This is our Savior's message.

LOVE.

When we sin we are guilty of NOT LOVING.

That sin of coveting exists because we are not loving selflessly, we are not loving our fellow man.
That sin of taking God's name is vain exists because we are not loving God.

It's the same for the entire moral law, all ten commandments.

It's the transgression of NOT LOVING.

We've sadly learned to base our ability to love upon conditions that we were NEVER supposed to have, never.

I'll love if…

I can't love because…

If he/she shows they love me…

I'll stop loving you if you do this or that…

I could never love someone that…

Conditions!

Sin is NOT LOVING, and the results that come from NOT LOVING, the actions caused by NOT LOVING.

If we put conditions on our ability to love God and love others, we are NOT loving as our Savior loved. He loved us while we were yet sinners.

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Please LORD teach us to LOVE as YOU LOVED!

Please!

Help us to love one another, and to love You!

By Your GRACE and MERCY! By Your LOVE!