1 John 5:1 English Standard Version (ESV) 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.

This is such an easy verse to understand. We have fellowship in the saints and in loving one another we demonstrate that we love God.

Now we must ask ourselves a more difficult question. Whose name is written in the book of life that we should be loving?

Revelation 20:12,15 English Standard Version (ESV) And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

None of the books, the books of deeds nor the book of life were opened until after all stood before the throne of God. No judgment was to be executed until then.

Jesus told us not to judge one another. That is a reminder, a strong reminder, to love everyone as if their names are written in the book of life. He said love your enemies because the love of God is the only thing that ever changed anybody.

It is when we are faced with the challenge to love our enemies that we come to understand that we need to allow Christ in us to love them because we do not. Putting aside personal animosities is one of the most difficult things to do. It goes a step further than forgiveness, it takes a change of heart on our part.

Anyone who tells you that loving God is simple has ignored all that is asked of us when Christ dwells in our hearts. We are His Temple and He rules from the Throne of our hearts.