Many people feel disillusioned with the Church today. People without church backgrounds as well as those who grew up in the church are among the unchurched. Is it just that they feel the church is no longer relevant or do they sense something missing?
I’d like to suggest that we as the Church start by looking at the qualities that should characterize us. We must be concerned with who we are, not just what we do. People notice when who we are doesn’t match what we say.
Qualities That Ought to Characterize the Church
- As a Church are we holy and full of truth or morally compromising and wavering?
- Does love and unity flow from us or do people experience condemnation and divisiveness?
As seen in 1 Peter 1:15-16 and 1 John 4:16, we need to measure ourselves against the right standard — God, not ourselves or the world. He defines truth, holiness, and love.
We, the Church, represent Him. If we aren’t presenting a God worthy of people’s devotion, why should they come worship with us?
The next two posts will look at the qualities listed above.
Interesting, Jesus in the New Testament spoke and emphasized the fruit of the spirit more so than gifts and works. That agape love should dwell and be manifested in us, thru us and shared to all around us.
Hello, Alberto Torres. To be sure, Jesus identified love for God and others as the Greatest Commandments (Matt. 22:35-40). Even in one of the biggest sections on spiritual gifts written to the Church (1 Corinthians 12-14), love is sandwiched right in the middle – chapter 13 – beginning in the first three verses with how it doesn’t matter what gifts I have, if “do not have love, I am nothing.” That doesn’t minimize what we do or using our gifts but rather emphasizes the need to demonstrate love in all what do.
A big AMEN to that. Shalom!