We are continuing to talk about the purpose of the church which, according to Jesus, is to love one another.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). The key statement in these two verses is—”as I have love you.” If we are to understand the purpose of God’s people and to be known by all as Jesus’ disciples, we must understand how Jesus loved.

In week one of this series, we talked about the sacrificial love Jesus demonstrated for all of mankind in leaving heaven to become a man (John 1:1,14), emptying Himself to become a servant (Phil. 2:7), submitting Himself to temptation (James 1:13), learning obedience by the things He suffered (Heb. 5:8-9), and dying upon a cross to save sinners (Rom. 5:8-9).

Then in week two, we considered that His love moved Him to action in seeking out the lost to save them (Luke 19:10). Today, we are going to consider that His love moved Him to warn the lost about impending damnation. “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3,5).

After Adam and Eve sinned, they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, because they could no longer walk with God (Gen. 3:8-14). God loved Adam and Eve by warning them of the consequences of sin and the impending death that sin would bring. God had told Adam and Eve that the day they eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they shall surely die (Gen. 2:17). Just as God had warned, Adam and Eve died a spiritual death that day and later, they died a physical death. If God had not warned Adam and Eve of the consequences of sin, then how could He say He loved them?

God also warned the prophet Ezekiel of the consequences of failing to warn Israel that sin brings death. “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand” (Ezek. 3:17-18). The only way Ezekiel could be pure of the blood of his brethren was to cry out the warning and show his love for them. The death that Ezekiel was to warn Israel about was perishing without repenting, thus a spiritual death. God told Ezekiel that if he does his part and the wicked still do not listen, then he has delivered his soul from dying/being damned (Ezek. 3:19). However, God warned Ezekiel, if he does not do his part and warn Israel, then both will perish (Ezek. 3:20). How could Ezekiel say he loved his brethren if he did not warn them about sin?

As Christians today, we cannot sit idly by and watch as our brethren perish because of sin and do nothing, because God has said that sin brings death. “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23a). Paul said, “I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26-27). If our love for our brethren does not move us to warn the lost of impending damnation, then we do not love them as Jesus loved them, because He has warned mankind to repent or perish (Acts 17:30-31). If all our love does is cause us to tell of the softer side of God like His mercy, grace and forgiveness, then we do not love as Jesus loved, because He warned of being eternally lost and going away into everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46). We cannot fulfill the purpose of the church unless we love as Jesus loves.

Just something to consider.