Where is the Love in the Body of Christ
By editor on Jan 16, 2010 in Commentary
Where is the Love in the Body of Christ
by Annette Sifford
It seems that lately every church and every ministry is scrambling to witness to third world countries, prison inmates or drug addicts and prostitutes. This is our duty as followers of Christ. To lead the lost to the savior that is able to redeem their souls from the enemy. I make no quarrels about outreach ministries; they are the arms of Christ reaching out to the lost. However, it grieves my spirit to see the saints working frantically to save the lost and is missing the key ingredient of soul winning, love.
The bible speaks of the love of men waxing cold in the last days, but I did not know that it would affect the Body of Christ to this magnitude. After observing sermons, actions and the words of Christians, it is evident the love has waxed cold among Christians. Why are we so adamant about loving those of third world countries, when we don’t love the person on the pew in front of us? We work hard showing love to people but true love is not in the heart. There are countless numbers of churches in the world that profess Christ as their savior, yet they refuse to obey his instructions. Jesus asked in His day, “why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46.)
This question is still yet to be answered more than 2000 years later. He instructed us to be harmless as doves and love our enemies. As a body of believers we do not love ourselves. The body of Christ is fitly joined together according to the word. But what is happening is the arms are flailing at the chest, the eyes are refusing to transmit to the brain and the heart does not want to pump blood into the left leg. The Body of Christ is trying to choose which part it wants to love in the body but that is not an option.
What is at the root of the inability to love one another in the house of God? We are to have a special love for those of the household of faith! What is causing all the dissension in the Body of Christ? James 4:1 asks the question, “from whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” (KJV) So why is there so much strife within the Body of Christ? Because there is strife yet in us! We find that some Christian leaders today are being ruled by pride, jealousy, and envy. These sins have resulted because of their own lusts that war in them. Many leaders today want to appear to be the biggest and most blessed church in their local area, perhaps even the country. Their own lust to be impressive to man is smothering the love they once had and deception from the enemy is allowing them to justify their lack of love. Because the leadership of the church is in error, there is a new generation being raised in the church.
This new generation also walks in error but justifies the works of the flesh because that is what leadership has taught as acceptable to God. From storefront churches to mega televised churches, some pastors are leading the people in error. Backbiting, low-rating and slandering other members of the Body of Christ. This is never acceptable to God! Often you hear people speak against other denominations and other churches, but why, God said let the wheat and tare grow together and He will do the separating. When can not separate the wheat and the tare, our judgment is not as just as God’s and we will destroy wheat trying to pull up tares.
God revealed His heart in Psalms 50:19-22 about our conversations regarding one another. It reads “Thou giveth thou mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit. 20. Thou sittest and speaketh against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son. 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver.” Our evil conversations reveal what is in our hearts toward our brothers and sisters in Christ. I Corinthians 13 we are told that of all the deeds and works we do the only thing that matters in the end is love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Annette Sifford has devoted her life to the encouraging and strengthening of the Body of Christ. A native of Statesville, NC, Annette began her studies within the field of Business Marketing. Over the years her desire to help others led her to the study within the field of Psychology. Sifford hails as a woman devoted and committed to God’s will and God’s purpose. Her personal trials and sufferings are proof that God is able to heal the broken, wounded and troubled heart. Annette is the author of Making It On Broken Pieces, a book that highlights God’s abilities to seamlessly mend the broken pieces of life.
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