Love Your Neighbour (And Your Enemies)Sample

We have seen that God’s love extends far beyond our tribal boundaries. The Christian church is defined by a love that cares for more than its own. It seeks to love with explosive generosity. 

Yet this does not mean that our love for fellow Christians is inconsequential. As God’s redeemed people, reconciled into a new humanity through Christ (Eph 2:14-16), our life together is a concrete witness to God’s love. As the late Francis Schaeffer said:

In the midst of the world, in the midst of our present culture, Jesus is giving a right to the world. Upon His authority He gives the world the right to judge whether you and I are born-again Christians on the basis of our observable love toward all Christians.

Our love of God’s family is both inward and outward facing. Inward, because it challenges our hearts to love those within our gathered communities. Outward, because our practice of love towards each other is part of our proclamation of the gospel to a world standing on the outside looking in.

Reflection Questions

1. When you talk to others about how great your church is, does “love for one another” feature in the conversation?

2. Pray for your church, that it might witness to the love of God in Christ through love among its members.