CONTINUE TO LOVE

 

CONTINUE TO LOVE

Heb. 13:1 Continue to love each other with true Christian love.  NLT

      Why is loving each other in Christ so hard for us to do?  There are so many divisions in the Church today that are the result of our inability to love each other that it is scary.  What is our problem?  I know that sin breaks the bond of fellowship, but shouldn’t we be able to overcome our sin if the love of Christ is in us?

      True lovers of Christ find a way to love those they disagree with.  There will always be things that we don’t agree on, but they should never hinder us from loving the redeemed.  We often use our differences as an excuse to not love and fellowship with other believers.  We take a holier-than-thou attitude towards those who are different than us in understanding instead of embracing them.  Why?  Doesn’t Jesus love all His children?  How can we say we love Him and not love those for whom He died and redeemed?

       Loving each other is a lifelong process.  We are to continue to love.  There is no time limit on when we can stop loving each other.  There are no conditions given as to who we are to love, only a command.   When we fail to love the brethren, regardless of the church family they may be a part of, we are sinning against God. 

       Loving others involves grace and forgiveness.  You cannot love someone you are not willing to forgive, regardless of what they may have said or done to hurt you.  Think about it.  I know that it is hard to love someone who may have hurt you, but in Christ it is commanded and made possible through Him.

       Consider how the love of Christ can be fleshed out in the Church and then do it.  Begin in the church you are a part of and then branch out to all of God’s children.  If you do, you will please God.