L.L.J.L.
What does L.L.J.L. mean? That is a great question. Let me explain, it is short and simple.
There are two meanings for L.L.J.L. the first is taken from I John 2:6 ‘whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.’ and I Peter 2:19-23 ‘For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.’ So the first meaning of L.L.J.L. is to Live Like Jesus Lived. This is not easy to do, if we really Live Like Jesus Lived making no exceptions or making excuses.
The second meaning of L.L.J.L. means Love Like Jesus Loves and is taken from John 13:34-35 ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."’ and Romans 5:8 ‘but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ Remember the context of John 13 the night Jesus is betrayed and handed over to die for our sins, Jesus washed the disciples feet. Here Jesus says He is giving us a new commandment not that the old is not good, but the new encompasses the old and then some, the old is in the new. He tells us to love each other as He loved. Remember Judas the betrayer was there and Jesus loved Judas as well even thou He knew what Judas was about to do. We are to love others so much that the world, those at our work our neighbors those at our schools will say wow there is something different about them.
In I John 4:11 ‘Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.’ I John 4:21 ‘And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.’ I John 5:1-4 ‘Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.’ here John being lead by the Holy Spirit/God tells us loving others is a command it is a must if we claim to be followers of Christ. In chapter 5 he tells us that by this we know that we love our Christian brothers and sisters when we love God and obey His commandments. Thus we must be in the Word/Bible daily in order to know God’s commandments and obey them. We must study diligently by observing the text, only then we can interpret accurately and thus apply what we studied to our lives. Only then can we L.L.J.L. Live Like Jesus Lived and Love Like Jesus Loves.
