What Marks Us as Christians?

What Marks Us as Christians?What things should a church do in order to prove to the world that we are truly the people of God? How should we structure and shape the ministry of the church so that those who do not know God will recognize us as true disciples of the Savior? I would think these questions are important. If Jesus told us how to be marked as his, following that directive would be essential to our function as the body of Christ here in a lost world.

John 13:35 – By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus says to us that there is a way that the world will recognize and understand that we belong to Jesus. Note, however, that it is not what we see many churches making primary. In fact, if we are not careful, we will see that what Jesus gives us in this verse is actually something that many churches think of as a side ministry or simply take for granted.

Jesus says that we will show the world that we are his if we love one another. In the verse prior, he told us to love each other as he has loved us. That indicates a powerful, self-sacrificial commitment to the good of another. Jesus demonstrated his love for us by laying down his life for us. And we are to be that committed to each other in order to show the world that we belong to Christ.

So, Christians, stop and think. How are you communicating to the world around you that you belong to Jesus? If your answer to that question does not include a deep personal love for other believers and commitment to the local church, you are missing what Jesus shows us here is his way to prove that we belong to him. Yes, you will share your faith. Yes, you will worship the Lord. Yes, you will care for those in need. But the words of the Savior here in the upper room tell us that the real way that the world will know you are his, know in a way that Jesus promises, is if you are a Christian who loves the believers with whom you are connected. Love the people in the body of Christ, and you demonstrate that you are truly a follower of Jesus.

Loving one another cannot be a side function of the church. Loving one another cannot be something we do if we have time after all the other stuff, the important stuff. If we are truly people of Scripture, if we are under Jesus’ lordship, it would make sense that we would see to it that our lives are structured in such a way, even organized in the church, to be sure that we are loving one another as Christ has loved us. This will take time. This will take church resources. This may mean that we do not wear out the body so much in other events that there is no longer time and energy for events that focus us on knowing and caring for each other. How will the world know we belong to Jesus? They will know by how we love each other. Are we really ready to believe the Savior enough that we change the way we do things to make this as central as the Savior seems to make it right here?