More Than Just Acquaintances: The Call to Deep Love in the Church

     As believers in Christ, we are called to a unique and profound kind of love. You see while we are to show kindness and compassion to all people, there is a specific love that is reserved for our brothers and sisters in Christ—the family of God. This isn't a love that excludes others, but one that is deeper and richer, much like the way you love your own family. 

Fellowship Service at Ashmore Baptist Church with Impact Ministries Church

    Last Sunday our church and Impact Ministries ( a local Haitian Church) came together to worship and fellowship together. It was a beautiful thing to hear us all singing to the Lord. Worshiping and praising God together. It really was a taste of what Heaven will be like. We laid aside our differences and the things that divides us and focus on the one thing that unities us together. Though our language is different our cultures are different, yet we were able to come together all because of our faith in Jesus Christ. We are apart of the same body, apart of the same family!  

    This experience beautifully illustrates the call of the apostle Paul to the church in Rome. The church at that time was a blend of Jewish and Roman believers, a mix that was often like oil and water due to their differing views, ideas, and preferences. Infighting and favoritism were real possibilities, and sadly, this remains an issue in many churches today. The church is often known more for its conflicts than for its victories.

    Paul's solution to this was simple yet profound: love one another. He wrote these words to them, and they are just as relevant to us today:

“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (Romans 12:10, ESV) 

“Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Romans 12:13, ESV) 

    Paul's words paint a picture of what it should mean to be a loving family. It means being "kindly affectionate" with a "brotherly love," which is more than just being polite. It means genuinely wanting to spend time with our fellow believers, building real relationships that go beyond a quick hello on Sunday. 

    This love also means giving "honor" to one another, which is a call to celebrate the victories of our brothers and sisters in Christ instead of focusing on their shortcomings. The world, and sadly even the church, often loves to focus on juicy scandals and mistakes. But Paul tells us to do the opposite: to rejoice with those who are serving God faithfully, encouraging them, and applauding their efforts. And when a fellow believer falls or struggles, we are to treat them with the same grace we would want for ourselves—going to them privately, lovingly, and letting them know we are praying for them.

    Finally, Paul’s instruction to "contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality" reminds us that love is not just a feeling, it's an action. It's about being concerned with both the spiritual and physical well-being of our fellow believers. This could mean helping with food, clothing, shelter, or even something as simple as helping someone learn a new language so they can feel at home. The church should be the one place where a brother or sister in Christ can go and find people who will love them and help them through life. 

    If you were ever to find your self displaced having to flee from the country that you were born and raised. If you had to lose all that you had and all that you knew, to reside in a foreign land. If you found yourself surrounded by a culture you don't understand, with a language you don't know and in need of hope. I hope that you would be able to find a church somewhere in that country that would love you and help you in your time of need. I would hope they would treat you not as a foreigner but a fellow brother and sister in Christ. I would hope that they would do everything in there power to help you in your time of need. Because that is what we should do, we are called to love deeply our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. 

    This kind of love is a defining characteristic of our faith. Jesus said, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). It is through this genuine, selfless love within the family of God that the world sees the transforming power of the Gospel. It shows that we are not just a collection of individuals with shared beliefs, but a connected body, a family.

Practical Applications:

Cultivate Deeper Connections: Make an intentional effort to move beyond surface-level relationships in your church. Instead of rushing out after the service, take a few minutes to talk with someone you don't know well. Invite a fellow believer to coffee or for a meal to learn about their life and prayer needs. Give them a call, send them a card, reach out to them and let them know that your thinking about them. You never know what that simple act might mean for someone this week. 

Speak Words of Honor: Make it a habit to look for the good in your fellow believers and speak it out loud. Instead of participating in gossip or criticism, choose to build them up. If you see someone serving God faithfully or hear of a victory they’ve had, take the time to encourage them and rejoice with them. What would it look like if instead of shooting our wounded we spread the good things our brothers and sisters in Christ are doing! 

Meet a Practical Need: Pay attention to the physical needs of those around you. Is there a single mom who could use a meal? Is a new family in your church struggling to find work? Is there someone who needs to find a job? Don't just say you love them; show it. Be an active participant in meeting the needs of the saints, just as Paul instructed. This kind of love is a powerful witness to a watching world.

Embrace the Love of Christ for Yourself: Before you can truly love others in this way, you must first understand and embrace the love that God has for you. If you have not yet placed your faith in Jesus Christ, the starting point for this love is receiving His ultimate act of love—His death on the cross for your sins. He made a way for you to be forgiven and adopted into the family of God, where you can experience this genuine love for yourself. If you are not sure where you stand with Christ, reach out to a trusted Christian friend or a pastor, and get it settled.