Going Through the Motions of Being Good Christians

He that saith he is in the Light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.  He that loveth his brother abideth in the Light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.  But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.  1 John, Chapter 2, verses 9-11.

We can go through all the motions of being good Christians, but if we hate another human being, we aren’t walking in the Light of God.  It doesn’t matter if our hate is directed to a relative or somebody with skin, beliefs or lifestyles that are different than ours.
Hate takes up too much space in our hearts and squeezes God out.  In order to allow God to totally Light up our lives, we have to let go of our hatred and biases.  I know that isn’t always as easy as it sounds.  If we turn to God with this, He will truly take care of it, if we ask Him to.
Here are some related passages:

*Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.     1 John, Chapter 4, verse 11.
*No man hath seen God at anytime.  If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.  Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.  And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.  1 John, Chapter 4, verses 12-16.

*We love Him, because He first loved us.  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen?  And this Commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.  1 John, Chapter 4, verses 19-21.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.

This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie