"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."
1 John 3:14-15
There are some interesting and cool ideas here. First, the way that we know that we are born of God (passed from death unto life) is that we love others. If we don't love, we don't live. That's fascinating, and seems really true. Doesn't hate feel like death in a lot of ways? We are withering inside, and we aren't at peace... it eats us alive.
The next verse makes a really strong statement, but again one that seems inherently true. It equates hate with murder. Even if we aren't actually killing people, teaching hate *is* teaching murder. Symbolically, and often literally. Feuds and disagreements turn into wars and hate crimes. We see this this with the Nephites and the Lamanites in the scriptures, and there are an abundance of examples in our society as well. No matter how justified we think it is, hate is a cancer, and it grows and spreads and kills everything in its path.
Today, let's take these verses to heart. Let's remember that love equals life, and hate equals death. Let's spread life and love, and let go of our hate so that we don't risk spreading that kind of terminal disease to others.
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."
1 John 3:14-15
There are some interesting and cool ideas here. First, the way that we know that we are born of God (passed from death unto life) is that we love others. If we don't love, we don't live. That's fascinating, and seems really true. Doesn't hate feel like death in a lot of ways? We are withering inside, and we aren't at peace... it eats us alive.
The next verse makes a really strong statement, but again one that seems inherently true. It equates hate with murder. Even if we aren't actually killing people, teaching hate *is* teaching murder. Symbolically, and often literally. Feuds and disagreements turn into wars and hate crimes. We see this this with the Nephites and the Lamanites in the scriptures, and there are an abundance of examples in our society as well. No matter how justified we think it is, hate is a cancer, and it grows and spreads and kills everything in its path.
Today, let's take these verses to heart. Let's remember that love equals life, and hate equals death. Let's spread life and love, and let go of our hate so that we don't risk spreading that kind of terminal disease to others.
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