The Apostle Paul wrote
these words in a letter to the church located in the ancient Greek city of
Corinth. The Corinthian church needed to
hear this inspired lesson on love, because they were really having a hard time
loving one another.
In the first three
chapters of this same letter, Paul accuses them of acting like immature little
children because they are divided into political factions and personality
cults. (Read 1 Cor 1:10-12
NKJ)
Later in chapter six, Paul
scolds them because some of them were going to court to settle their
disputes. They were actually suing each
other rather than seeking biblical remedy for their disagree-ments. This was a
church that had very little love going on.
Within the Body of Christ,
this extreme love for God and for one another is more important to God than
anything else, because, God said this is the one thing that trumps all others
in priority. Remember 1 Corinthians 13 teaches us that love
is the supreme value of body of Christ.
A breach in love and
community is a more serious crisis in the church, than even a breach in faith
or hope. Because love is the greatest of
these three virtues. If love is indeed
the supreme value in the family of God (as the scriptures clearly teach), THEN,
what would be among the most serious offenses in the Kingdom?
ANSWER: Crimes against
love! Threats to community! Breaches in fellowship! In many churches today, crimes against love
are ignored and treated like minor misdemeanors.
- You can get
away with slandering other believers.
- You can be a
conduit for cruel gossip.
- You can be
abrasive and judgmental.
- You can be
outspoken and divisive.
- You can
harbor grudges for decades.
And chances are, no one is ever going to confront
you on it. These are treated as though
they are just minor traffic violations in Body life.
In some churches, you can
come away with the idea that crimes against community are mere misdemeanors,
felonies, the ones that can get you thrown out of church, are lifestyle misteps. I fear that many churches in that day, and
many today, seem to be looking "in a mirror dimly" (1Cor.13:12 ) and not seeing
Kingdom values very clearly.
Agape Love is the supreme
value in the Kingdom, therefore, it only stands to reason that crimes and
threats against Authentic Love are the most severe violations of Kingdom law. Could it be, that in our own way, we are
sometimes guilty of "straining out legalistic gnats while swallowing
relational camels?" (Matthew
23:24 )
If Agape Love is the
supreme value in the Kingdom of God, then how big of a deal is it when love
breaks down? How upset does God get? How upset should we be when relationships are
broken? Where should "fixing"
that relationship fall on our scale of priorities?
The scriptures teach us
that loving relationships in the Body of Christ are absolutely critical. And community and fellowship between
believers is of highest value in the Kingdom.
Love between Brothers and
Sisters in Christ is essential on our scale of priorities, without it all else
fails—all else is a zero. Authentic love between believers verifies the
legitimacy of our discipleship. John 13:35 , "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you
have love for one another."
Contagious, supernatural love for one another is our
greatest platform for evangelism.
It is our proof that Christ has indeed changed us. Conversely, when there is a breakdown in
relationship within the community of the redeemed, it hamstrings our witness,
and communicates to the world that there really is nothing different about us
after all!!
