Perhaps the hardest commandment of them all
The woman in my Aquafit class asked me a simple question: “What religion are you?” I told her I was a Christian. She gave me a puzzled look. “No. I mean, are you like a Baptist, or Anglican, one of those weird ones where people fall on the floor or what?” I should have gone with my usual answer: I’m a Christian in the Baptist tradition. It tends to answer that sort of question better for some people.
We won’t touch the idea that Christianity isn’t a religion but a relationship today, but she had a point. People often see the church as a diverse group of competing religions, known more for what we are against than what we stand for. We can be seen as harsh, unloving and bigoted. Not a pretty picture and nothing like Jesus looked like.
Despite our differences and faults, there is only one true Church. That doesn’t seem to stop us from diving over theological, geographic and ethnic/national lines. We argue about key doctrines, minor differences in practice and the color of the walls or carpet. We disagree on music, how the pastor should dress and church government. Should we belong to a denomination, be non-denominational, or start our own denomination? Should we ordain those in ministry, and if so, how and who?
Which Bible translation is “really” God’s Word? Churches split over the COVID vaccine. I know of a church that burned out pastor after pastor for 40 years because, way back when, two church leaders’ wives both brought potato salad to a potluck.
Now, there are plenty of legitimate differences, some even worth dividing over, but Jesus never commanded us to be known for the things we differ over or our hatred of certain people groups or sins. Sometimes the church’s actions must cause the Lord incredible heartache.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 1 John 3:11 ESV
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 ESV
We all know the way we are called to act, but our flesh gets in the way, and we become poor ambassadors of Christ. We can’t always agree, nor should we, but we can handle the disagreements in love.
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:15 -16 ESV
We can’t live this way under our own power; we need the Holy Spirit’s help. We need to remember how Christ loves us and forgives us. We need to recall His mercy and grace, even when we have been at our worst.
We have been given two wonderful places to practice. These are the Sunday morning gathering and our own families. We have plenty of opportunities to both give and receive grace and forgiveness. We also have opportunities to love the unlovable (and sometimes we are the unlovable).
We are never going to get it right 100% of the time, but we can be forgiven for our mistakes. Let’s remember who we are and are called to be in Christ. Let’s make a conscious effort to start loving one another today. I know I could do better. How about you?
SUMMARY
We won’t always agree, but Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples by our love for one another. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us start loving one another today, beginning at church and at home.
TAKEAWAY
Jesus never told us to be known for what we differ over or who we oppose. He said all people would know we are His disciples by our love for one another (John 13:35).
Some differences are legitimate, and some are even worth dividing over, but we can still speak the truth in love and handle our disagreements in a way that builds up the body.
We can’t love like this in our own strength. We need the Holy Spirit’s help and a fresh memory of Christ’s mercy toward us, and Sunday mornings and our own families are where we get to practice.