As the old camp song says; they will know we are Christians by our love. Who will know? Why, those who have little use for the Church of Jesus Christ, that’s who. They will know we are Christians by the way we love God, by the way we care for the needy within our community, and by the way we love one another within our congregations. Consequently, they will also know that we are behaving less Christian-like by our lack of love. Love is the test of our faith.
The ancient Church in Corinth had a problem with love. Certainly they loved one another just as we do today but, they had difficulty showing such love when conflict arose. Instead of sharing God’s unconditional love, members of the Corinthian Church retreated to a selfish love, caring more for their selves than for their neighbor.
We have all heard the saying, “The Church is filled with hypocrites.” But that goes without saying because the Church is filled with sinners in need of redemption. God pours out his unconditional love, through his Son Jesus Christ, upon all who are baptized into his death and resurrection. His love knows no limits.
Because of sin, human love falls short of God’s glory. But God’s love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. God’s love never ends. And so it is, the Church strives to share the love of God in Christ with a world in desperate need for the gospel truth. As we do, the world will know we are Christians by our love.
Prayer: Fill us with your Spirit, O God, that the world may know, by our love, that we are your people. Amen.
In the Beginning 