The secret of finding out
It is no accident that Christ said, “By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have a love for one another” (John 13:35). He did not say they will know you by your politics, your simple living, or your dress. None of these things are primary, outward distinguishing marks of Christians. Neither do we look alike, eat alike, or speak alike. But there is something that marks Christians outwardly. What is the distinguishing mark of the Christian community? It is gospel love—unfettered, abounding, sacrificial, giving love. Why is love above all the distinguishing mark of our community? Because God is love. More specifically, our God is love. We know love beyond all others on earth. “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). We are recipients of unfathomable, demonstrable, efficacious, otherworldly love. So, love is what marks the Christian body. Love is what we do, because love is