*Monday 27 June 2022*
Readings
Psalm 75
2 Kings 2:15-22
1 John 2:7-11
Theme: The old-new commandment
Theme Scripture: 1 John 2: 7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.
Background
John, the elder, wrote this letter to remind beloved friends, the Christian community, and believers of the essential Christian virtues. He is concerned with the theological crisis that divided the community leading to the formation of another community. John writes rebutting the problem focusing on fellow believers and brothers. He thus refutes the opponents encouraging believers to remain faithful. They are to remain faithful to the brotherly love translated into Greek as (agape). Whether it is through antiquity or contemporary settings, love abides forever. The love is unmasked and unconditional. The commandment is not new but old. They had received the teaching from the day of conversion and now renewed before them.
Life lessons
The message of love was not new but old, that which they had heard from the beginning (1:1; John 13:34 and the Shema Dt 6:4). Politicians, churches, and ordinary people talk about love. The message is not new to us. The difference comes when love remains in the mouth or stomach. A believer's love must be practical. God taught love afresh (John 13:1, Christ showed the importance of love anew, seen in him and you. Jesus redefined this love in a new way through self-giving and self-sacrifice. Jesus showed through his teaching as in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Indeed, love is not new. It lacks practicality all over.
The writer chose the term agape (unconditional love) to show the kind of love expected. The agape love is the light that shines in the darkness and sinful lives. God created humanity, groomed, and taught us to love one another, the neighbour, and the community. The love shines because Christ is love and the light. The light must illuminate the way, affirmed through personal deeds (1:7). The result is fellowship with others. However, contemporary society annulled the God kind of love. Darkness deeds thus manifest daily in corruption, oppression, and exploitation.
The other negative aspect caused by lack of love is the false pretence that prevails in society. Social justice, equality and equity have become the lip-service talks. We talk about love and equality on the public platform behind the same we kill, murder, hurt or hate. The speech lacks practicality. For John, caring for others must be our primary activity. The activity of caring for others.
Conclusion
One would ask: If our community taught us Ubuntu. God and Christ taught and showed tenderness. Why do we continue living in sin? The commandment is not new but old and known by all. The message is all over for all to partake, see or experience. The onus is to go back, ad Fontes, back to the sources or back to the fountain. The fountain is God.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, shine your light into every corner of my life, reveal sin and cleanse me of it so that I will walk in light rather than darkness. May more obey the new command that is also the old command: to love people as God loves them. Amen
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