Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command?
By COGwriter
Some have suggested that when John wrote about commandments, he only meant that Christians should love one another. The most commonly quoted verses are probably I John 3:23 which states, "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" and I John 4:21 which states, "And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." John also wrote, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments" (I John 5:2). This also agrees with Paul and James who made it clear that you must keep the commandments to love your brother/neighbor (Rom 13:8-10; James 2:8-11).
John apparently felt all ten commandments must be kept as he wrote most of the following:
Commandment 1 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (I John 2:15); which is another way of saying, put nothing in the world before God. "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God" (Rev 14:9). "Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image" (Rev 20:4). "But the...unbelieving...shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Rev 21:8).
Commandment 2 "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" (I John 5:21). "But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam...to eat things sacrificed to idols" (Rev 2:14). "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, because you allow...My servants to...eat things sacrificed to idols" (Rev 2:20). "But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk" (Rev 9:20). "But ...idolaters...shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Rev 21:8). "But outside are...idolaters" (Rev 22:15).
Commandment 3 "He is the antichrist who denies the Father and the Son" (I John 2:22).
Commandment 4 "These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum" (John 6:59). "He who says he abides in Him ought also to walk just as He walked" (I John 2:6)--remember Jesus always went to the synagogues on the Sabbath (Luke 4:16; John 6:59).
Commandment 5 "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God" (I John 3:1).
Commandment 6 "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and we know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" (I John 3:15). "And they did not repent of their murders" (Rev 9:21). "He...who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword" (Rev 13:10). "But ...murderers...shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Rev 21:8). "But outside are...murderers" (Rev 22:15).
Commandment 7 "For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes...is not of the Father but is of the world" (I John 2:16). "Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation" (Rev 2:22). "And they did not repent of ...their sexual immoralities" (Rev 9:21). "But the...sexual immoral...shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Rev 21:8). "But outside are...sexually immoral" (Rev 22:15).
Commandment 8 Peter wrote, "But let none of you suffer as...a thief" (I Pet 4:15), but John seems to have expanded on the theme of this commandment when he wrote, "whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him" (I John 3:17). "And they did not repent of ...their thefts" (Rev 9:21).
Commandment 9 "He who says 'I know Him', and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (I John 2:4). "I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth" (I Jon 2:21). "And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars" (Rev 2:22). "But ...liars...shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Rev 21:8). "But outside are...whoever loves and practices a lie" (Rev 22:15).
Commandment 10 "For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world" (I John 2:16).
John also wrote, "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the through the gates into the city" (Rev 22:14); "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (I John 5:2-3); and "Now by this we know we know Him if we keep His commandments. He who says 'I know Him', and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk just as He walked" (I John 2:3-6).
It seems then, when John wrote about the commandments in plural, he was referring to the ten commandments and when he wrote about the commandment singular, he was referring to love (which he also tied to keeping the commandments, i.e. I John 5:2-3).
This concept is also verified by Paul who wrote, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom 138-10). Thus Paul seems to be referring to the ten commandments when he uses the term 'commandments' and love when using the term 'commandment'. Similarly, "Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and the great commandment. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and Prophets" (Mat 22:37-40); in other words the law of God is involved in showing love to God and your neighbor! Perhaps that is why Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15) as well as "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love" (John 15:10).
"These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you" (I John 2:26).
Thiel B. Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? www.cogwriter.com 2000/20060507