Rediscovering loving one another

There is a powerful movement happening in the Christian world today. It’s not negative, hurtful, or degrading the moorings of our social frameworks, but it is challenging many of us. The movement is hated by some and can easily become popular to oppose. This movement is organic and counter cultural to the religious striving for accuracy over intimacy.

This is a movement happening in the Body of Christ choosing to love and connect with those they disagree with in order to draw people closer to Jesus. This movement is based on love and grace, and already I can hear the arguments against such “reckless love.”

God gave the law for the sake of connection. He set up boundaries for us to be safe, healthy, and to know Him in the greatest measure possible in our brokenness. In fact, it is our inability to fulfill the law that reveals our brokenness. God then sent Jesus to fulfill the love that was in His heart for us so that we could (in our failures, faults, rebellion, and evil thoughts) know Him personally, and be set free from a sin-nature.

Jesus said in the moments before He was betrayed and denied by His best friends that His priority was for us to be connected to Him and to love one another. In John 15:12-17 “12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.”

We can see now that Jesus calls us into obedience for the sake of connection with Him, to abide with Him. Abiding with Him relates to how we love one another. We don’t have to agree, or approve of the differences in doctrine, theology, and practices. I firmly believe what I believe because I am convinced that I am seeing clearly. However, what’s more important is that I love those who are Sons and Daughters of God fully and unconditionally regardless of those differences.

I have yet to see the great fruit of isolation, disconnection, rejection, and shame as it pertains to the Body of Christ. Even for those caught in a trespass, who are unwilling to change their mind, we are to treat them like a tax collector or a sinner… like those Jesus spent time with, ministered to, and loved on.

Thank God that His Spirit in us is greater than anyone else’s beliefs, behaviors, thoughts, or fears. We are seeing a movement of powerful believers who are not moved by other’s differences and instead choosing to love as Jesus loved. When we become powerful believers, we can be open, honest, and even talk about differences without fear. It is the love of the Father that has dealt with fear, and it is His love that casts it out. Let’s be fearless in this movement to love one another and honor the Lord.

Chris Bassett is the senior leader at Harvest Valley Worship Center. The church can be found online at hvwc.com.