A painting of a mass of people from different ethnic backgrounds. Submission for the 11th Annual Art Competition.
Why is it sometimes difficult to show love for others? How does our love of God connect to loving others? The Apostle John taught the Saints how God’s love for them could inspire them to love God and others (see 1 John 4:11, 19). This lesson can help you understand and apply the commandment to love others as you love God.
Helping students take effective righteous action. As students act in faith to apply gospel principles, the Holy Ghost will witness to them of those truths (see John 7:17). Create opportunities for students to act on principles in class so that the Holy Ghost can carry the truths deeper into their hearts.
Student preparation: Invite students to come prepared to share experiences in which they showed love to others or others showed love to them and the impact it had.
Possible Learning Activities
Loving others
Think of several ways you could finish the following sentences:
It’s easy to love others when …
It’s more difficult to love others when …
Consider writing the above phrases on the board, then inviting several students to write how they might complete one of the sentences.
Ponder the following question:
What motivates you or makes it difficult for you to show love for others?
John’s teachings about love
The Apostle John boldly taught about the need to love others.
Read 1 John 3:16–17; 4:7–11, 19–21 and mark truths that you think will be helpful to you as you consider the challenges of loving others. (Note that the word propitiation [1 John 4:10] means an atoning sacrifice that satisfies the justice of God.)
What did you find interesting or meaningful from John’s teachings? Why?
Listen carefully to students. Strive to create an atmosphere in which students can feel comfortable sharing their thoughts. Consider asking how what they found can help them love others.
One of the truths John taught in these passages is that if we love God, we will also love others. You may want to mark this truth in 1 John 4:21 .
Consider ways to help students understand this truth more deeply. This could be done by discussing some or all of the following questions: Why do you think love for God is connected to love for others? How can thinking of God’s love for you and others influence your actions toward others? How might our lives and the lives of those around us be different and better if we understood and applied this truth?
Students may also benefit from completing a learning activity such as the following:
To help you ponder the blessings of loving others, select one of the examples below and answer the questions that follow:
Display the following options for students and remind them of their preparation for class. Consider having students select one or two examples, either as a class or individually.
An example from the Savior’s life when He showed love for others
Someone you know who is a consistent example of loving others
Your own experiences striving to love others, or experiences in which others have shown love to you
Examples of showing love for others from general conference addresses or Church videos, such as “Taking upon Ourselves the Name of Jesus Christ” from time code 4:43 to 6:15 (available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
What did this person/you do to show love?
How do their/your actions show love for God?
What were the results of them/you showing love?
What did you learn from this example?
If students completed this activity individually, consider inviting them to share their responses in small groups or with the class.
Receiving the blessings of loving others
Read 1 John 3:17–18 to see how John urged us to love others.
What do you think it might mean to love others “in deed and in truth”? (1 John 3:18).
It may also be meaningful to read some of the Savior’s teachings about loving one another recorded in Matthew 5:43–44; 22:37–40 and John 13:34, looking for how the Savior taught we should love others. (See also John 15:12, 17.)
Create a list of ways you can show love for others “in deed and in truth,” or as the Savior loved us. It may be useful to consider ways to show love to different people, such as family members, friends, or classmates.
If it would help to see some examples of loving others “in deed and in truth,” consider watching “Now Serving” (2:18) to see examples. This video is available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Which of the ideas of showing love stood out to you the most? Why?
Why is it important that our actions be sincere?
How can taking these sincere actions consistently help us become more like Jesus Christ?
Application
Think of someone that you know that the Lord may want you to show more love to. Try to think of the love Heavenly Father and the Savior have for them. Consider praying to Heavenly Father. Listen and feel for inspiration on what He may want you to do to show love for this person. You may want to pray for help in your efforts. It might also be helpful to share what you plan to do with a trusted adult or friend and ask them to help you.
Consider asking if any students would like to bear testimony of the importance of loving others and how it shows our love for God. Consider sharing personal testimony as well.
Commentary and Background Information
1 John 3:18. What does it mean to love “in deed and in truth”?
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917–2008) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
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Last official portrait of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 2004. Died December 1, 2008.
Often, the greatest manifestations of love are the simple acts of kindness and caring we extend to those we meet along the path of life.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, testified of blessings that can come from loving others.
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Official portrait of Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 2006. Called as Second Counselor in the First Presidency, 3 February 2008. Made official portrait in 2008 replacing portrait taken in 2004.
Because love is the great commandment, it ought to be at the center of all and everything we do in our own family, in our Church callings, and in our livelihood. Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk.
When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align. Our walk as disciples of Christ becomes more joyful. Our lives take on new meaning. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father becomes more profound.
(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Love of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 21)
1 John 3:18. How can we show love “in deed and in truth” in our family relationships?
Watch “The Eternal Blessings of Marriage” from time code 6:23 to 8:41 to see Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles describe kind deeds he and his wife exchanged, or watch “Two Brothers Apart” (6:12), which shows two brothers learning to understand and love each other.
1 John 4:12. What did John mean when he said that “no man hath seen God at any time”?
“The Joseph Smith Translation of this verse clarifies the misconception that mortals are unable to see God: ‘No man hath seen God at any time, except them who believe’ (in 1 John 4:12, footnote a). John continued by teaching: ‘If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us’ (1 John 4:12). John himself had seen God the Father (see Revelation 5:1; D&C 67:11). To read more about mortals being able to see God, see John 14:23; Acts 7:56; D&C 93:1; Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17” (New Testament Student Manual [2014], 517).
Official portrait of President Russell M. Nelson taken January 2018
Our highest priorities in life are to love God and to love our neighbors. That broadly includes neighbors in our own family, our community, our nation, and our world.
1 John 3:1–3; 4:12. We can become like Heavenly Father through becoming pure
If students would benefit from learning more about how they can become like Heavenly Father, invite them to study 1 John 3:1–3 and to share what they learn from this passage. Explain that “sons” in 1 John 3:1 can be translated as “children” (see 1 John 3:1, footnote b) and that children of God in this sense refers to those who have been spiritually reborn (see also Mosiah 5:7).
Invite students to share what they know about Heavenly Father “as he is” (1 John 3:2). Ask them to share ideas on how we can “purify ourselves” (1 John 3:3) so that we can become like God. One possibility would be to strive to love as God loves (see 1 John 4:12).
Remind students that we cannot become pure without the Savior. Invite them to study the Guide to the Scriptures entry titled “Sanctification” (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) and to look for insights on how we can become more pure with Christ’s help. Invite them to make a plan for how to do so.
