𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞.

It seems these days it's not enough to say you're a Christian. These days, most Christians can be easily divided between 2 camps. When you hear someone identify as a Christian, it’s hard not to wonder, "Which kind of Christian are you? Are you a real Christian or… one of 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆? 
I posit that's not the way for us.
Hᴇᴀʀ, O Isʀᴀᴇʟɪᴛᴇs, ᴛʜᴇ Lᴏʀᴅ ᴏᴜʀ Gᴏᴅ ɪs ᴏɴᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ Lᴏʀᴅ ɪs ᴏɴᴇ. Lᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ Lᴏʀᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ Gᴏᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ, ᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴏᴜʟ, ﹠ ᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴛʀᴇɴɢᴛʜ.  
Nᴜᴍʙᴇʀs 23:19
Because here's the thing: Setting up an us v them situation doesn't win Christians to the kingdom. 
I’ve heard it said," God doesn't need us to fight His battles.” It feels like that’s never needed to be screamed so loudly as it does today. 
𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧. He's 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 & 𝘰𝘮𝘯𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵.
He's just. He's kind & loving & patient. 
He expects obedience. 
His greatest commandment is to love Him. 𝐓𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐦.
His 2nd commandment is to love our neighbors and He defined love for us. When in doubt, turn to the words of 1 Corinthians 13:
Lᴏᴠᴇ ɪs ᴘᴀᴛɪᴇɴᴛ, ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪs ᴋɪɴᴅ. Iᴛ ᴅᴏᴇs ɴᴏᴛ ᴇɴᴠʏ, ɪᴛ ᴅᴏᴇs ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴏᴀsᴛ, ɪᴛ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴜᴅ. Iᴛ ᴅᴏᴇs ɴᴏᴛ ᴅɪsʜᴏɴᴏʀ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs, ɪᴛ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ sᴇʟꜰ⁻sᴇᴇᴋɪɴɢ, ɪᴛ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴀsɪʟʏ ᴀɴɢᴇʀᴇᴅ, ɪᴛ ᴋᴇᴇᴘs ɴᴏ ʀᴇᴄᴏʀᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴡʀᴏɴɢs. Lᴏᴠᴇ ᴅᴏᴇs ɴᴏᴛ ᴅᴇʟɪɢʜᴛ ɪɴ ᴇᴠɪʟ ʙᴜᴛ ʀᴇᴊᴏɪᴄᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ. Iᴛ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛs, ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴛʀᴜsᴛs, ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ʜᴏᴘᴇs, ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴘᴇʀsᴇᴠᴇʀᴇs. Lᴏᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ꜰᴀɪʟs.  
1 Cᴏʀɪɴᴛʜɪᴀɴs 13:4-8a
God calls us to love our neighbors. Love does not dishonor others but it is patience & kindness, keeping no record of wrongs, trusting, hoping, persevering.
Friends, I’ve been hearing something recently from angry Christians that’s really distressing to me.
I do not believe it is ordained for us to make Satanists or demons out of God’s children. Be careful in your zeal not to give false testimony against your neighbor. Christians who view God differently are NOT the enemy. 
Please don't presume evil incarnate. 
That is such a strong presumption. In fact, I’d venture to say it’s an accusation that could be extremely risky. 
Our words have power, & those particular words alienate & divide the Kingdom of God. Further, they water down our declarations.
We have a real enemy to fear & he is here. Please be cautious with your words & do not intentionally give him more power than he already has.
Aɴᴅ ɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴ﹕ ꜰᴀɪᴛʜ, ʜᴏᴘᴇ ﹠ ʟᴏᴠᴇ. Bᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ɪs ʟᴏᴠᴇ.  
1 Cᴏʀɪɴᴛʜɪᴀɴs 13:13
𝘠’𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 & 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚. LOVE.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞.
Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.