LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!
That was the subject under discussion last Wednesday night at the Grace Bible Church, Paddock Road, Dalkeith, St Michael.
And when church member Brother Denis Cadogan – in response to a question raised by church leader Pastor Carlisle Naitram – said love should be an act of will his answer sparked the discussion about whether love was something Christians should try to be involved in or should be an innate part of every Christian and therefore the natural thing to do.
At the end of the debate, both Naitram and his congregation came to the conclusion that believers “ought to so love each other that the world would know we are God’s disciples”. – John 13:35 (paraphrased).
So it was that apart from the singing of well known traditional hymns of the church, including Jesus Is All The World To Me, We Have An Anchor, All The Way My Saviour Leads Me and Love Lifteth Me, the practical display of love one for the other witnessed time spent interceding on behalf of missionaries, the sick and those facing various challenges.
Sister Joyce Stoute, Brother Richard and Sister Maria, among others, joined with Brother Denis to share their understanding on what love ought to be and how it should be expressed.
It was Sister Joyce’s view that “if the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, why would believers have to make an effort to love”?
Then there was the discussion about the difference between love and like, with a member of the congregation noting that “you can like someone but not necessarily like their ways, or you can like them but not necessarily love them.”
During his “interactive sermon” Naitram shared a number of scripture verses, including Romans 12:10, where he noted the writing of Paul for believers to be “kindly affectionate towards one another in brotherly love”.
He said it wasn’t enough to love those who love us – everyone should practise the teaching of Christ, even to love their enemies or those who show them little or no love.
Naitram added that all too often people were of the opinion that “if they love or show love to someone they consider lower in status than they are, they are doing the person a favour”.
“We are called to serve one another, therefore making ourselves servants one to the other,” he pointed out.
He explained that there were different kinds of love, such as agape (Christ-like love), eros (sexual love) and philía (friendship/brotherly affectionate love). He also alluded to the natural, affectionate love parents have for their children.
“If it is natural to love and we don’t do so, we are under a greater condemnation,” Naitram told the gathering.
“If we are commanded to love and love is in our hearts, love grows and develops according to our maturity and how much we love God. If we grow in the grace of God, we won’t have to make a great effort to love our enemies [or anyone for that matter].
“If you love the Lord whom you cannot see, you ought to love your brother whom you can see.
“Loving God causes us to love each other – depending upon our level of love for God. As Christians, we should respond out of love to the needs of others and not out of any law,” he said.
Naitram also said that by loving everyone fervently believers fulfil the will of God in their lives.
“God wants us to love as He loves: love one another,” he concluded.
• To have your church featured in Altar Call please contact Cheryl Harewood at 430-5494 or email [email protected].
