By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
I had this thought in class today and I wanted to share it. Look at what Jesus tells his disciples. All men will know by your LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER. Where and when did we lose this. Jesus doesn't say that your cognitive knowledge will be the sign. He doesn't say that our well thought out systematic theology is going to be the sign to unbelievers. He doesn't say that out morally outstanding lives will be the thing that keys people into our identity as Christians.
He says it will be our love. But he doesn't stop there He says it will be our love for one another. How we relate our conduct with and towards one another is the key to expanding the kingdom. If we don't offer a better community than Starbucks why in the heck would people want to come into the church? Heck why are we still in the church for that matter?
2 comments:
Jerry - i love that you get it! It's so true that somehow along the line, some of us (and maybe it's just us who went to or are going to bible schools where knowledge = grades) lost this point. Christianity isn't individualistic - we're the church. AKA a 'body of believers'. AKA more than one. And if we're not functioning like Christ's church - then why are we still going to the buildings?!!
I just taught on love/unity (John 15) for three weeks at Normandale. Amazing isn't it? Jesus puts his reputation on us when He says this to God, "They will know I am sent from you by their love for one another." People will know that Jesus is sent from God or better yet is God based on how we treat each other. So what is the answer? How can we change that? How will you change that?
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