We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that liveth not his brother abideth in death.  1 John 3:14

One of the ways we can know we are saved by God's amazing grace is that we love people. And the local church is sort of like a spiritual test station whereby the outgrowth of Christ's redemptive work on the cross of Calvary is revealed. Although our salvation is not necessarily dependent upon how many friends we have, it is dependent upon Jesus Christ dying on the cross, rising the third day, and giving us His Holy Spirit. Because of what happened on Calvary, the irresistible power of grace breaks our hearts because of our sins but opens our hearts with burning desire to love God and His people.

The church, the Body of Christ, is where the love of God and the love of God's people for Him and other people is carried out in what is commonly referred to as a worship service. There is a concrete correlation between loving God and loving His people. God makes it all too clear by saying that if we don't love people, we don't love Him!

If a man say, I love God, and hatter his brother, he is a liar; for he that liveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?  1 John 4:20

The true church is God's purchased possession of people of every nation, culture, race and language. These people are loved unconditionally and have been so loved from before the foundation of the world and will be throughout all eternity. The local church is the place God has designed whereby His people can practice their position in His unconditional love and His unmerited favor. When we gather in God's house to worship we should do so with the intention of doing two things better --- loving God and loving His people.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  Matthew 22:37-39

It's a sad thing for me to say and probably not what you want to hear either, but your preacher doesn't keep these two greatest commandments very well. Want to do better though and I sort of believe that you may want to also. There is something we can do about it! We can pray to our Heavenly Father and we can go to church!

Put People Before Yourself

Love is expressed in many ways, but one of the best ways to show we love someone is to put them before ourselves. Another knows this principle well and practices it every day with her children. It's no wonder that the church is often met aphorized as the Body of Christ. For Jesus Christ was the epidemic of self sacrifice and His motto was, "I come not to be ministered to, but to minister."

Did you know that when we go to church to assemble ourselves before Almighty God for worship that we should go with an attitude of gratitude for God's mercy and grace, and also to put other people before ourselves. In other words, we not only go to church for God, we also go for people, and we do so to show that we love both ---- God with all our heart, soul and mind and others as much as we love ourselves.

The book of Hebrews in our bible is called by many commentators, "The Book of Betters." Notice these two verses from Hebrews and see if they don't challenge us and maybe even change the way we do church.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.  Hebrews 10:24-25

If we put people before ourselves, we'll get more out of worship, even the sermon. When we put ourselves before others, it can breed resentment, jealousy, even bitterness, and if not checked will stifle our spiritual growth. Don't let people keep you from coming to church, rather come because you love them!

Pick Up People

A "Pick-up" Christian is an encourager! If the devil's greatest tool is discouragement, the Christian's greatest tool is encouragement. The church is a building, a spiritual building built on the foundation of the Apostles revelation and the redemptive Rock of Jesus Christ, which is the chief cornerstone of it all. The gospel is good news and good news is encouraging news. It hurts to know we have sinned, but oh how wonderful it is to hear about our Savior and what He has done to remedy our run.

The gospel should not be a well kept secret. When God, through His Spirit, encourages us or picks us up from the pit of despair, we ought to be quick and ready to pick up or encourage someone else. a handshake, a hug, even a smile is huge because those gestures send a sweet message of love and care. The best way for someone to feel forgiven is for someone to come along beside them and show their love to them by encouraging them with the reality of God's forgiveness, which alludes to the righting of our ways through repentance and the freshness of a new start as a new creature in Christ.

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.  1 Thessalonians 5:11

Pray for People

We pray for people because we love them. Although we surely may and should pray for people we don't know, it's especially true that we do pray for those we love. We pray to our Heavenly Father, through the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus for people. When our son John Emory was first diagnosed with a terminal illness, a person called me from another town one evening just to tell me he was praying for John Emory and our family. I did not know the man and still don't, but I knew the power of that prayer. Doctrine is important, but if we don't love one another enough to pray for them, the doctrines of grace are mere trophies collecting dust on the shelf of religious pride. People don't care so much about what a church knows. They do however notice when a church cares. Corporate church prayer is a needful and powerful care package; and there is no greater way to display Christlikeness, given that our Lord and Saviour is always praying for us. If He ever lives to make intercession for us, surely we should spend more time interceding for one another. The priesthood of every believer has a mighty big part in the church and should not be taken for granted nor wasted by negligence and worry.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  James 5:16

I hope we all realize that putting people before ourselves, picking up people with encouragement and praying for people are all evidences of the new birth, possible only because of the indwelling Holy Spirit. That being said, still, it takes practice to find the peace and joy of our life in Christ while we live here on Earth. God has promised the gates of hell shall not prevail against His church. And, the security we have in Christ, can be lived out each day in our daily lives and in church by loving people.

Brother Randy