³⁵ “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Talk, liturgy, doctrinal correctness, morally faultless, known for wisdom—all are good things, but they do not mark us out as Christians. Many religions of the world espouse these things, or claim so. Of course the central truth claim of Christianity is unique, that we are sinners who have offended a holy and righteous God, we are incapable of saving ourselves, and therefore God took the initiative in saving us through the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross. We enter into that salvation by faith through grace and not by any meritorious works of our own. But knowing and believing all that does not mark us out as followers of Christ to non-Christians.

Many “Christians” proclaim in the public square edicts on morality and righteousness, only to evoke the scorn of the world as misguided out-of-touch ignoramuses (at best) or pompous, self-righteous fundamentalists (at worst). Such “Christian” bantering, even in the name of Christ, does not mark a person out as a genuine follower of Christ.

Jesus proclaimed in the Upper Room in no uncertain terms that sacrificial love provides the undeniable trait which distinguishes a genuine Christian. Specifically, He refers to the twelve loving one another, but we know that since “God so loved the world,” our love should extend beyond the brotherhood of believers. But notice the priority: ^“So then … let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal 6:10). There is a benefit to being part of the camaraderie of Christian fellowship. So we especially take to heart Jesus’ command to love one another. And the world notices.

Even the most ardent atheist uses the “Christ love standard” in his attempts to undermine the Christians’ witness, in essence using Jesus’ own standard against those who claim to be His followers today. The point is that the world knows the standard for Christians; Christ knows it (obviously). Therefore, the question remains: do we who are Christ-followers know it? This is the key operative truth of evangelism: loving people into the family of God. When non-believers see us caring for each other, sharing one another’s burdens, looking out for each other, praying for each other, sacrificing for each other—and also by extension doing these things for the people outside of the faith—they will begin to see the love of God in Christ, who is in us. And this will lead them to ultimately discover a love beyond which there is no greater: Jesus died for us.

Lord, help me love my Christian and non-Christian neighbors in the way Christ loves me.