God's Love (2)

EQUAL OR UNEQUAL?

When a person who is a serial rapist or an ex-convict walks into your Christian community, how will you respond? Will you welcome him with open arms? Will you love him the same way you love your other fellow believers? Or will you treat him using a different standard because of what he has done?

If we truly believe that God's love is unconditional, that his love is not determined by our efforts; then it is logical to believe that God's love for everyone is equal. Whether the person is a faithful minister, a nominal believer or an unrepentant sinner, God's love for each one of them is the same. No one is being loved less or more than the rest.

As Christ bids us to love our neighbours with his love, we have to learn to love everyone unconditionally and equally. Our love towards the other person cannot be dependent on the person's performance or effort. This means that our love for those who irritate us must be equal as our love for those who love us. This also means that our love for our non-Christian friends must be equal as our love for our Christian friends, just as Christ's love for everyone of us is equal.