"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;  whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.  1 Corinthians 13:1-13

The primary response of our faith in Christ is a holy love for Christ and for our fellow Christians. Love is central to the Christian life, as we are taught by the apostle John in his first letter: "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another" (1 John 3:10-11). His reference to "the beginning" reminds us of Cain, who failed to love his brother Abel and received the judgment of God. John equates Cain's lack of love with evil works, works that proved him to be a child of the devil. He even goes so far as to say, just as Jesus did, that "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" (v. 15).

Only those who have been born again from above have the capacity to love the unlovely. Only those who have faith in the work of Christ, who know God as Redeemer and Father, can truly love those who share the same faith. The world hates Christians, but we are called to love one another. If God, who is holy, pure, and just loves you - yes, you who once lived in darkness and raged against His holiness - then you ought to love others in the name of Christ. No matter how unworthy, how unattractive, how sinful other believers might be, Christ loves them and we should and must love them too.

Notice the centrality of love for Christ in the Christian life. If we do not love Him, we cannot love others. Your love, your service, your consideration and concern for other Christians flow from your love for Christ. If you find it difficult to love others, then your love for Christ is weak.

To strengthen that love, meditate on what Christ has done for you and on who He is. Consider how worthy He is of your love and how much love He has for you even though, sinful as you are, you do not deserve it. When you think of Him in all His glory and when you think of yourself as unworthy of His love, you will find it easier to love others in the church.

COREM DEO