Greetings,
The law of God requires us to focus very heavily on relationships. Our reconciled relationship with the Father dominating obviously. However, from our close relationship with Him flows our relationship with other people. All people are created in the image of God and with the potential to be members of God’s family. We should never lose that focus. God’s law embraces our relationship with all people. A good example of this is in Leviticus chapter 19 where a number of principles of how people should deal with each other are listed. These include details of care and consideration such as leaving the corners of your field for the poor, not stealing or lying, paying just wages, how to treat the deaf and blind, etc., etc. The overall caveat is in verse 18, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself, I am the Lord.”
Christ added spiritual strength to this command in His teaching when He was asked by a lawyer what he should do to inherit eternal life. Christ’s answer was to repeat the above command. However the lawyer asked the pointed question, “And who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:25-29. Christ then related the story of the good Samaritan and concluded by saying, “Go and do likewise” verse 37.
The apostle Paul when writing to the Romans reiterated that God’s people were to love one another and quoted from Leviticus chapter 19. To the Church Paul concluded by saying, “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” Romans 13:8-10. Later in the same letter Paul stated, “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification” 15:2. Clearly, as members of the spiritual body we have an obligation to express love to our neighbors, both in the world and in the Church. Our conduct must reflect the love and concern that the Father has for those created in His image. This must be especially true between people who have been reconciled to the Father. It is the Father’s love we express and in so doing, glorify His name.
The divisions that exist within the Church at this time do not give us an excuse not to practice this important aspect of God’s law. No matter where God’s people have been scattered, they are God’s people and as James admonished, “Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called … but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors” James 2:7-9. We have a responsibility to live confidently by what we believe and to demonstrate love and compassion toward all people. This should especially apply to those who have been called at this time no matter with what fellowship they have chosen to associate. God knows the heart of each of His people and He is their judge, not us.
Our responsibility is to be in a reconciled relationship with the Father and from that will flow the love of God to other people. Do not get caught up in Church of God partisanship. By our example, let us lift the glorious name of the Father to be a light in a very dark world. Let us love our neighbor as ourselves and let our actions and attitudes be one of general outgoing concern and kind-hearted friendship.
Pentecost, representing the beginning of the New Testament Church by the outpouring of God’s Spirit is a very good time to consider our responsibility to supplying unity and oneness to the body of Christ.
Warm Regards,
Brian Orchard
