The purpose of the Church...

"The purpose of the church is not to be socially agreeable; it is to speak robustly to the state on behalf of those who cannot speak effectively for themselves."- Kevin Rudd, Australian Prime Minister, http://blog.sojo.net/2009/07/15/a-prime-ministers-conscience-is-pricked/

The Australian Prime Minister states so clearly what I feel many of us today simply just don’t get. As the Church, Christ commands us to "love our neighbors as ourselves." That is His greatest commandment, after loving Him first. It's funny that He considers loving others so connected with loving Him that He says the two in the same breath, yet the Church today seems bent on focusing so much on the first command but not the second. Why is the Church today so concerned with our personal salvation, personal well-being, personal image, when what Christ actually commands throughout Scripture is to be concerned with OTHERS? His Gospel is one of such selfless, saving love that, when truly known, can not help but pour out of us to others. Jesus actually goes so far as to say that if our faith isn’t outward focused, then we don't truly know His Gospel (Matthew 25:31-46). If we know Him, we will plead the cause of the afflicted and needy (Jeremiah 22:15-16). We will feed His sheep (John 21:15-16). We will help our brothers and sisters in need (1 John 3:16-18). We will spread His Gospel to all people (Matthew 28:18). His love brings us salvation and, living in that love, we will bring salvation as well.

His love transforms us to be more like Him, so that we begin to truly be able to love God and then others more than ourselves. As we die to ourselves more and more everyday and grow in Christ, we begin to see more of His vision of selfless faith. As our minds are renewed in His Spirit, the connection between His love for us and our love for others strengthens. When we become more like Him, His love in us increases to naturally love others like He loves them. We realize that our faith is anything but just about us. We are called to be transformed into Christ - which means we are called to hurt like He hurts, to feel compassion like He feels compassion, and to actively love others out of God’s great love in us (Romans 12:2).

Like Christ, we are called to be a voice where no one else will. In Christ, we see how to be this voice: “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8). We see how we are to "learn to do right" by seeking justice, encouraging the oppressed, defend the cause of the fatherless, and pleading the case of the widow (Isaiah 1:17).

As theologian Carl F.H. Henry said, "If the church preaches only divine forgiveness and does not affirm justice, she implies that God treats immorality and sin lightly. If the church proclaims only justice, we shall all die in unforgiving sin and without the Spirit's empowerment for righteousness. We should be equally troubled that we lag in championing justice and in fulfilling our evangelistic mandate."

Being a follower of Christ means loving Him AND loving others. He has saved us by His amazing grace, and the selfless love that led Him to give up His life for us now fills us and enables us to do the same for our brothers and sisters. When asked why we should care about what the government does, what happens to people in other countries, about the homeless man on the street, etc, we should without hesitation respond "Because God loves me." If we believe in the love of God, then that love should lead us to love others. “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) Through His Spirit in us, we can love our brothers - it is not the whole Gospel of Christ if we don’t. (1 John 3:17) Christ has given us salvation, and He has given us His Holy Spirit so that we may bring this salvation - His love and justice - to others. THIS is the Gospel. He calls us to be a part of His redemptive work. So let’s BE the Body of Christ and live in this selfless love.