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Nauvoo-zion wrote:

It all depends on how we define love. The world would define it as letting them do whatever they want; they demand social services of us but scream in revulsion when we teach the Gospel. What they don’t understand is that the Church’s first responsibility is to save souls, everything else comes second

I totally agree that in this post-modern world self-gratification and individualism are celebrated and promoted. This definitely isn’t the Bible’s definition of love - the Bible’s view is so much more beautiful.

The word translated as ‘love’ in our English Bibles is the word ‘agape’ in Greek. I did some homework and found this as a description of its meaning:

[Agape] embraces a universal, unconditional love that transcends and persists regardless of circumstance. It goes beyond just the emotions to the extent of seeking the best for others.

It’s so all encompassing and profound - it just makes me love Jesus even more.

It’s an interesting conclusion you’ve drawn re: the Church’s first responsibility.

The great commission is so important to our mission as Christians and I think it’s something we don’t talk about enough. Few things it got me thinking of: (A) I’ve always seen it as God being the one that does the saving not the Church. (B) It’s made me question whether the great commission really is our first responsibility.

I’ve always seen living and acting the 2 greatest commandments as the central pillar to our mission as Christians:

Mark 12:29-31: “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

It ties in quite strongly with John 13:34-35

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

As I see it from this, our primary responsibility as disciples of Jesus is to agape just as he did. I see this as not dividing people into specific groups e.g the givers and receivers, the rich the poor, the migrant the citizen etc. but taking everyone as they are, showing and demonstrating agape in everything and showing people that Jesus loves them and that God has for us a way to live and follow which is so much better than what this world has to offer.

Peace, love and grace to you all.