Understanding the text

Unfortunately, many Christians approach the Church with a consumer mentality. Once a local church fails to provide the desired goods, they move on to another church, which only perpetuates Christian immaturity. Peter sees the Church very differently. Because of our objective unity in Christ, we can not give up on each other. Rather we are to imitate Christ with “sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind” (1 Peter 3:8). Through this, the Church is built up and sanctified.

But our love is also the supreme apologetic to the onlooking and skeptical world. We tend to think of apologetics in terms of well thought out and formulated arguments for faith in Jesus. While that is important, time and time again, the New Testament reminds us that genuine, sacrificial, gospel-motivated love for others is the authenticating sign of our discipleship.

Additional scripture

1. John 13:35
2. Matthew 22:34-40
3. 1 John 3:11-16

"The Church is both a living apologetic appeal and the formative context out of which apologetic arguments are supported as plausible." —Joshua D. Chatraw

Applying the text

1. What role did meaningful relationships with Christians play in your own conversion?
2. Why is love such a powerful argument for the gospel of Jesus Christ?
3. What does this text assume about the presence and purpose of Christians and the Church in the world?