I saw this quote on Facebook this past week, and thought it was worth examination. I state for the record that I have not read the book, and know nothing of the author. So, I have no way of knowing whether I would approve of the overall work. But, this quote has much to commend it.
“A close-knit society with shared ideals and goals frequently finds it relatively easy to foster love, tolerance, and inner cohesion. … Ideally the church is different. It is made up of people who are as varied as can be. … The *only* thing that holds such people together is their shared allegiance to Jesus Christ, their devotion to him, stemming from his indescribable love for them.
“This is why it is always wretchedly pathetic when a local church becomes a cauldron of resentments and nurtured bitterness. This pitiful state of affairs may erupt simply because there is very little at the social, economic, temperamental, educational, or other levels to hold people together. Therefore, when Christians lose sight of their first and primary allegiance, they will squabble. When social or racial or economic or temperamental uniformity seems more important than basking in the love of God in Christ Jesus, idolatry has reared is blasphemous head. When protestations of profound love for Jesus Christ are not mirrored in love for others who profess to love the same Jesus Christ, we may legitimately ask how seriously we should take those protestations.” (Carson, “Praying with Paul,” 24)
There is a wide divergence in background, culture, economic standing, race, and age in the church. Paul made this clear as he acknowledged the tension between Jews and Gentiles in the first century. Some Jewish Christians were teaching that Gentiles had to become Jewish proselytes to be accepted by God. In response to this he wrote, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26-29).
Paul’s words are appropriate when discussing any tension, anger, resentment or division that might be present between brethren.
The quote under consideration notes that devotion to Christ is what “holds such people [Christians] together.” This is true. Our devotion to Christ leads us to embrace and submit to His will and desires. His desire is for us to love one another. John wrote, “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:9-11).
So, love should be the overriding characteristic of Christ’s disciples. It holds a place of preeminence in the relationships of brethren — above culture, age, gender, or economic circumstance.
While leads us to the quote again. These words deserve consideration: “When protestations of profound love for Jesus Christ are not mirrored in love for others who profess to love the same Jesus Christ, we may legitimately ask how seriously we should take those protestations.”
Our identity as Christians is bound up in our love for one another. If vitriol, dissension, resentment or any other negative feelings displace that love, it is a travesty. “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21).
It is interesting how when such affirmations are made, some feel compelled to supply caveats. For example, if you talk about the importance of admonition, then someone feels compelled to counterbalance your statement with the need to love another another. Or, if you talk about the necessity of loving one another, some feel the need to counter the discussion with a call to defend the faith, and to expose error. In reality, these are not in any way opposed. It seems that the problem arises when one is not balanced. Some brethren, because they claim to love, are unwilling to admonish the sinner. Other Christians are more than willing to “contend for the faith”, but exhibit no love for their brother. Both extremes are wrong.
The answer is simple. Love your brother as God does. Do not allow your attitude, demeanor and treatment of brethren to show anything but love. Don’t rationalize a contentious spirit as a personality trait or quirk. If Jesus can turn a “son of thunder” (cf. Mark 3:17) into the apostle of love, then he can change you. If you allow it.
Paul had it right when he wrote, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:17-18).
