If it were not for the people, this job would be perfect!
How many times have I heard that statement made by people working in retail
sales or at restaurants or at church! Yes, at church. I may have even been
guilty of saying this a time or two, always with a chuckle in my voice. But let’s
be honest. Most of the time when we say these things, we aren’t kidding. And
that is sad because the most important part of being a Christian is our
relationships. First, our relationship with God must be the priority of our
lives. That’s what Jesus meant when He told us to love God with all our hearts,
souls, minds, and strength. Nothing is more important to Christians. Second,
our relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ must be a priority. We
could spend a great deal of time on this because if our relationships with each
other are not right – if there is conflict, turmoil, bitterness, and anger in
the church – why would lost people want to join us? They get that in the
secular world.
But look at what Paul says. It isn’t just about reaching the
lost. Paul says that we need to abound in love for each other so that God may
establish our hearts blameless in holiness. The implication is that if we aren’t
abounding in love for our fellow Christians, God can’t/won’t establish our
hearts blameless in holiness.
It is love that causes us to live in holiness, or in other words, like Christ. Paul says that we are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ in Romans 8. That will not happen completely until we are at home with Him, but it is love that makes it happen, and without love, we cannot be holy and blameless.
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