An Old, New Commandment

“Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.” (I John 2:8)

Someone told me this true story. Many years ago a man purchased a new 1934 Ford car. He planned to teach his wife to drive. He kept his prized possession in the garage. Before he could teach his wife to drive he died. She was heart broken and kept some of his favorite things: his shotgun, his Sunday shoes and the Ford car. For years it sat in the garage where he had parked it. Then, many years later she died.

When they were settling the estate there was that like new, old Ford car. It was old, but it was new. Not many miles at all plus it had the original tires and no dents.

That’s a picture of this commandment on love mentioned in verses seven and eight of this second chapter of I John. It is an old commandment, having been around for centuries. It is a new commandment because it has not been worn out with use. We need to knock the dust off this commandment and start using it, the way God intended for it to be used.