Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:7,8)
Early in my pastoral ministry I informed FWMBC that Godly love would be the foundation of our ministries. Our Mission Statement begins with: "Fifth Ward Missionary Baptist Church members will endeavor to provide a strong foundation of love..." We make it clear that we are to "Greet One Another In The Love Of Christ." I believe that these principles are important because they are Biblical. "God Is Love." We are commanded to love God and to love one another.
It is interesting to me when a member will tell me how hard it is to love someone else. I wonder how hard it may be for the other person to love them? Or sometimes people will speak of "tough love." The problem for me in that phrase is that I don't find it in the Bible. God does not "ask" us to love one another, He "commands" us to love one another. In fact, the passage above states that if we do not love, then we do not know God.
When we become Christians, God will manifest Himself in us via the Holy Spirit. In essence, His love is in us. We can love others with His love by allowing that love to come forth. It is not a matter of making ourselves love someone else. It is a matter of not suppressing God's love that indwells us. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Since God loves everyone unconditionally, we should do the same. Agape love is not based on merit, but the Love of Christ. Christ loved the Church so much that He gave His life for it. We don't deserve God's love. So we should not get too upset about loving someone else who does not deserve it either.
I hope that we will remember God's love in us as we associate with others. Because according to the passage above, if we don't love others, we don't know God. Well, that is what the Bible says! Brotherly and Sisterly love should be the hallmark of our ministries.
