According to the apostle Paul, charity (love) is one of the most important components of our faith: “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” (I Cor. 13:1-8.)
The apostle goes on to teach that even if we have sufficient faith to move mountains, we are “nothing” without agape love. Obviously we do not come by this love easily as evidenced by the amount of space and emphasis Paul devotes to the topic of love in chapter 13.
As Romans 5:1-5 tells us, it is derived from a process which involves tribulations, patience, experience and hope: “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts…” In verse 8, Paul links the idea of love with sacrifice: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The supreme goodness and generosity of God calls for a response which must manifest the likeness of God’s love toward our brethren.
The exercise of love
We can powerfully exercise our love for our Father and His truth through service to the brethren. This can be done through ecclesial activity of every dimension, including preaching and outreach efforts. Our function in the body of Christ may be quite small and humble, but we must not lose sight of the fact that every member of the body is important and no act of service in his name is to be despised or lightly esteemed.
We are exhorted to walk worthy of our calling “with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Eph. 4:1-7). This appeal calls for gentleness and patience, exercising the kind of love which Christ manifested for us — even to offering his life for our salvation.
An anomaly
Regrettably we often run into an anomaly with reference to agape love among ourselves. In our zeal to uphold the purity of the faith, hostility and suspicion creep in all too quickly and moderate against what I Corinthians 13 describes as the greatest of all godly virtues. There is danger in an overabsorbtion with heresy hunting because the process tends to dominate our exhortations and conversations. This emphasis is picked up quickly by our children and unbaptized friends and puts the Truth in a negative and unfavorable light.
Dealing with controversial issues requires spiritual maturity. Quiet, discretionary conversations regarding problem matters are far better than shouting them forth from the platform. Edification comes from positive teaching, not from a constant public review of what is wrong with the community.
The best defense against the inroads of wrong teaching is a systematic and regular reinforcement of the Truth through weekly classes and attendance at the Sunday morning meeting. It is on these occasions that we get to know each other, learn to love and respect one another and weld together as a united family who can face the joys and sorrows of ecclesial life with agape love without rending apart in bitterness and suspicion. But how can we love our brethren if we refuse to share fellowship with them in the ecclesial setting which God has especially designed for our welfare.
Unfounded accusations, hostility and distrust flourish when brethren and sisters misguidedly attempt to solve ecclesial problems by establishing rules, regulations and traditions over and above our statement of faith, the keeping of which is perceived to define greater faith and zeal. All Central ecclesias accept the BASF as a summary of the tenets of our faith. We must trust the allegiance of our brethren and sisters to this document allowing each ecclesia to monitor its own faithfulness. We are responsible for our own families and our own ecclesia. We honor the principle of ecclesial autonomy and have decided to let each ecclesia tend to its own affairs.
May God give us the wisdom to tend to our own little flock with godly devotion and loving care.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One