Basil of Caesarea, a fourth-century monk and bishop, wrote, "I cannot persuade myself that without love to others, and without, as far as rests with me, peaceableness towards all, I can be called a worthy servant of Jesus Christ.”
On a recent post of mine someone made the comment that they have met more Christians who do not love others than Christians who do love others. This comment broke my heart because it is so difficult for me to picture my brothers and sisters leaving such an impression on someone. This is difficult for Christians to address. We want to be a people of mercy who understand the human condition and be able to admit that even after entering the kingdom of God people continue to slip up from time to time. However, we must be able to sternly declare that those who live a lifestyle that is not defined by faith and good works are not Christians. Those who live a lifestyle of sinfulness are not in the kingdom of God and should not be treated as though they are. Christians may slip up but if they do they seek confession and repentance. In other words, they admit their trespass and seek to act differently. They reconcile.
Just the Martyr once wrote, "Anyone who is not found living in accordance with his teachings should not be regarded as a Christian even if he confesses to Christ’s teaching with his lips. For he said that only those shall be saved who do not just talk, but who also do the corresponding works."
1John 4:7-12, 20-21 - "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us... Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister."
Since God alone is judge (James 4:12) we [Christans] are not to judge those outside the church but we are certainly to judge those within the church (1 Corinthians 5:12). This means that we must be firm in who we call Christians. We must ask if the person is baptized, partakes of the sacraments, and lives out the life that accompanies the words of faith. Do they confess, believe, and act like Christians ought to? If so, call them Christian. If they do not resemble Jesus in this world (1 John 4:17) then do not call them Christian. If someone claims to love God and be united with Christ but they do not love, or if they do sinful/hateful things and do not return with confession and changed action then it is safe to say they are not filled with the reconciling love of God and thus unworthy of the title Christian.
Therefore, let all who identify themselves as belonging to Christ love God and their neighbor so that all neighbors may come to love God and their neighbors. May all Christians prove their faith with their good works. May they stick to love even when it may not appear as such to the unbeliever for in the end love will win out. Love well, because a judgment is coming. Love because you have been loved and the only way to continue in that love is to live it out in daily life.
No comments:
Post a Comment