Thought for the Week

This “Thought” will hopefully cause us to think about The Church/Christians. For Christians are The Church, one at a time. Followers of Christ were first called Christians at Antioch. It was intended to be derogatory. It means, “Little Christs” or “Imitators of Christ.” That is what Christians should want to be: imitators of Christ. We were given a formula for this to happen by Jesus Christ. He said, “This is how men will know you are my disciples (followers), if you love one another.” (St. John 13:35) I hope everyone who reads this ‘Thought’ will see how it applies to them. You can be participants (Christians/The Church.) You can be spectators (witnesses/observers). You might even want to be judges (determining if Christians do what they are supposed to do – love one another). Here is a challenge: According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, there are approximately 45,000 Christian denominations in the world—with more than 200 in America. [1] Most of those denominations have arisen due to doctrinal differences, choices which must be respected among people of good conscience. But too often splits among groups of Christians happen for less than noble reasons. At the Last Supper with His disciples, Jesus gave them a “new commandment”: “Love one another; as I have loved you . . . love one another.” He then went on to say that their love for one another is what would distinguish them after He was gone (John 13:34-35). Their love for one another is what would let the world know that they were His followers. Thankfully, even in spite of differences, most Christian denominations express love for other groups. And believers in individual churches should do the same. (David Jeremiah). What does this love look like? Paul gives us some concrete guidance in his first letter to the Corinthian Church. (I Corinthians 13:4ff) Love is patient, kind, not envious or boastful. Love is humble, neither rude nor self-seeking. Love does not get angry easily. The person who loves does not keep record of wrongs done to him or her. Love is not pleased when people make bad choices, but it is pleased when its object does right. Love does not give up easily but continues to trust, support, encourage, its object. Lots of good things may fall apart but love will continue to seek the best in and from the one loved. Love is certainly an action word. As said, “It seeks the very best for the other person.” Note: we are talking about love for people. We should not consider loving things. The things of this earth will one day disappear and be lost forever. But people, will live on for eternity. Jesus told us this: “The day is coming when all will be raised to life, those who have believed in Him and done good will live for-ever, those who have rejected Him and done evil will suffer eternal condemnation.” (see St. John 5:24-30) It is fairly easy to see that anyone who loves another will want that person to experience eternal life, in Heaven, with the eternal Triune God and certainly not to experience condemnation. This will self-require the one who loves; to pray for, to encourage, even to challenge or confront the one loved to live a godly life and avoid doing things Jesus Christ said were wrong. Love!

Scriptures to Read

I Corinthians 13:1-7

I Corinthians 13:8-13

St. John 13:31-35

St. John 14:15-21

St. John 3:14-21

St. John 5:24-30

I John 3:7-10, 16-20