Where Love Is, New Testament

Where Love Is, is the suggested song for the New Testament lesson God is Love  studying the books 1st–3rd John; Jude. This is a vocal arrangement of a song from the Children’s Songbook and was also published back in August 2022, for a lesson on “A soft answer turneth away wrath” studying Proverbs.

As an apostle of Jesus Christ, John had personally experienced his love and wanted others to understand it better. 1 John is filled with teachings about who God is and how we can truly follow him by understanding and living the doctrine of Love.

1 John 2:8–11

• 8 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. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11 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 3:16, 23–24

• 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1 John 4:7–21

• 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

In the Come Follow Me Manual it opens the lesson with this paragraph:

“When John and Jude wrote their epistles, corrupt doctrine had already started leading many Saints into apostasy. Some false teachers were even questioning whether Jesus Christ had actually appeared “in the flesh” (see, for example, 1 John 4:1–3; 2 John 1:7). What could a Church leader do in such a situation? The Apostle John responded by sharing his personal witness of the Savior: “This is the testimony which we give of that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” (Joseph Smith Translation, 1 John 1:1 [in 1 John 1:1, footnote a]). And then John taught about love: God’s love for us and the love we should have for Him and all His children. After all, John was a witness of that, too. He had personally experienced the Savior’s love (see John 13:23; 20:2), and he wanted the Saints to feel that same love. John’s testimony and teachings on love are just as needed today, when faith in Jesus Christ is questioned and false teachings abound. Reading John’s epistles can help us face today’s adversities with courage, for “there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18).”

The scripture reference for Where Love Is: Alma 13:28–29 

The composers of this song are: Words: Joanne Bushman Doxey, b. 1932, and Norma B. Smith, 1923–2010 Music: Joanne Bushman Doxey, b. 1932, and Marjorie Castleton Kjar, 1927–2019

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This video is published on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MarileeKayMusic/ and short reels of the video are posted throughout the week on Instagram & Facebook @comefollowmemusicbymarilee

Portions from the video “The Risen Lord Appears to The Apostles” and “I Was a Stranger, Love One Another” by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, are included within this arrangement and other Select images and film used within this music video come from churchofjesuschrist.org, Brad and Marilee Leishman and Steve Pierce