~Love Others~

This week at Grace Church we are looking at what it means to love one another as Christ has loved us. What does it mean to be a good neighbor and to really love one another?

The idea of loving our neighbor is not just a NT idea. It permeates the entire realm of Scripture. Starting with the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20), God gives Israel the practices and guidelines of what life out of Egypt will look like. The 10 Commandment’s, function in a similar fashion as the teachings of Jesus found in the Beatitudes (Matth.5-7). Essentially, in both cases God is establishing a new Kingdom, a Kingdom where his will is to be known and done, a people that he has rescued and will mold into the Ambassadors he’s called them to be. As a result, he gives the rules and laws of this new Kingdom. No longer are they to live under the rules and laws of the old kingdom (the World) where sin and evil reign. God gives Israel (as well as us) the framework for their best life possible, which is found in Loving God and Loving Neighbor. We can see this idea laid out for us in the 10 Commandments.

Loving God
~You shall have no other gods
~You shall have no idols
~You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain
~Remember the Sabbath day

Loving Neighbor (Others)
~Honor your father and mother
~You shall not murder
~You shall not commit adultery
~You shall not steal
~You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
~You shall not covet

Now, for most us, when I talk about loving our neighbor we think of things like serving the poor, sharing the Gospel, and helping old ladies cross the street. These are definitely signs of loving others. But, I think there may be more to say…

For example, think about the command to NOT bear false witness against your neighbor. In context, this command applies directly to a courtroom testimony. Yet, this command encompasses much more than that. It also carries with it the idea of slandering or gossiping against your neighbor.

In other words, God is saying that if you are gossiping and slandering others…you don’t love your neighbor. The command to love one another doesn’t just mean we are called to serve others. It also means that if we say we love our neighbor than we don’t spread rumors or gossip about them. If I love my neighbor I’ll try and only say and do things that edify and build them up…NOT tear them down (Eph. 4:29). So in that moment, when I tear others down with my words or slander their name…I am not loving my neighbor. Yet, when I do love others, I’ll only seek to say things that encourage and build them up. We love one another when we watch our words.

My prayer for us this week is that we would think about our words…think about if we’re building others up or tearing them down. The truth is, sometimes it’s easier to stop and change a tire for someone or pass out a water bottle than to stop gossiping. Yet, as the Body of Christ, we are called to do both and through the power of the Holy Spirit we can do both.