Love for the world

Christian love is not to be restricted to fellow believers. Paul says we should increase in love for all—and that is what Jesus commanded. He said, Love your enemies. He says, Look, it is natural for pagans to love their own children and people they grew up with and natural friends. But what is going to show the difference of the love that you have—the love of God—is that you are that way to everybody. Even when they persecute you, you are going to show love toward them. Now, to be sure, our understanding of love may differ from what unbelievers think it ought to be. But, for instance, one of the most loving things we can do is to witness to somebody and to pray for their salvation.

I ran across this summer, at my mother’s funeral, a cousin of mine who I really had not seen since my childhood. I had seen him once since my childhood, and he had become converted to Christ in that time. And I was serving in the army, and he was a reservist, and they came to where my unit was, and I remember vaguely, he called me, we went to dinner. I came, somewhat reluctantly—went to dinner, and during that dinner, he saw enough of me to realize he needed to start praying for my salvation. I did not know that. And if you had told me at the time, Well, your evangelical cousin is praying for you, I am not sure that I would have appreciated that very much. But I sure do now. And when he told me, just recently, I began praying for your salvation every day, and two years later I was converted—what greater love could he have done for me than that? Well, what greater love can we do than to witness the gospel and then to pray for the opportunity and the power to do that?

In some cases, our love for the unbelieving world will be for God to thwart their wickedness. They certainly will not appreciate that, but it is love, and it should be meant in love as we interact in a society where paganism is on the march, and there is absolutely a clash of worldviews—and we are in the midst of it. Whatever else should be the case, we should show love to our enemies. If we are picketing an abortion center and the doctor comes by, he ought to experience love from us, even as we speak the truth fearlessly. Now, you say, How can I do that? The Holy Spirit. That is why Paul has to pray for it. But it is the mark of the Holy Spirit. Generally speaking, we can do truth without love in the flesh, or love without truth in the flesh—but truth and love together, the heart of Christ speaking the Word of God uncompromisingly—that is the sign that the Holy Spirit is moving in his people. And for it, Paul prays. So should we.¹

Richard D. Phillips