Evaluating 40 Days of Community

[*NOTE: Quotes from the 40 Days of Community Workbook are blockquoted.]

"We are compelled to love God's family...because God commands it."

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34, NIV).

Yes, and this is the natural response to receiving the love of God (1 John 5:3), therefore, we can be measured by it.

Why is obeying connected with love? Because it reflects unity among believers--a oneness of spirit within our congregations and small groups that is foundational to kingdom work.

From my understanding of the scripture, obedience is connected with love as it reflects unity among believers that already exists because of Christ. This unity, since it is a work of the Holy Spirit, is part of the kingdom of God that has already come to those who believe. There is no unity that has to be contrived in order to do "kingdom work." And that kingdom work is not to reform the world and make it a better place by imposing good values. While this is certainly beneficial, it is not our calling. Our calling is to call people out of this world into the kingdom of God. And when that happens, lives will be radically changed. Unfortunately, many are not going to believe, so trying to coerce them into acting like they do only deceives both themselves and others.

We cannot obey Christ's command in isolation.

But at the same time, others are not necessary nor responsible for my obedience or lack thereof.

His standard of love is personal--reaching out to the undeserving, looking past their faults and into the desperate needs of their hearts.

As a doctor, it is because of their sickness that He meets their needs. If they are unconvinced of their sickness, He cannot meet their need. Jesus asked one, "do you want to be made well?" So to, people need to see their depravity and thirst for righteousness which only Jesus Christ can provide. If they don't see it, we need to help them in love.

His standard is so staggering we can only reach it by faithfully adapting Gal 2:20: "It is no longer just I who loves, but Christ who loves in me."

How can Rick just change scripture like that? There is no "just" and "loves" should be "lives." We ought not to try and make a scripture say something it doesn't. Not to say that this message is not clear in scripture (minus the "just"), but such loose handling of scripture is unbecoming of the respect for the Word of God that ought to be part of every believer.

We love merely because of how He loves us. It is nothing insurmountable (1 John 5:3). It is merely our reasonable service, nothing above and beyond the call of duty. Once you realize what Christ really did for you and how bad you really are, you will be able to see this truth clearly. Loving won't be a chore, but a priviledge! Jesus did not come to give us self-esteem! He told us to deny self, for it is in our weakness that His strength is made known to us.