Last week we discovered from 1st John 3 that without love, individuals can have no assurance of possessing spiritual life and churches cannot be assured that God is working in their midst. However, there are several more catastrophic consequences of failing to love the body. For one, there can be no witness to Christ in the world. Without a love for one another, the world will not be able to identify Christians. Next, a failure to love transgresses Christ’s standard. Without a love for one another, Christ’s law cannot be fulfilled. Finally, a failure to love stunts church growth. Without a love for one another, the body is not built up and the sheep are left emaciated and disillusioned.
This is why it’s critical to assess the guiding principle that dictates the general practice of our lives. If it is not loving the body of Christ as Christ has loved us, then we will need to consider if being a recipient of the saving love of Christ is the most significant reality in our lives.