We continue our discussion of Christian love and unity by looking at two of their vital characteristics.

Christ-Centricity

In Unity

The pictures we have for the Church all include Jesus as the chief and binding feature, rather than an outside entity.

Jesus is the head in the body illustration (Eph. 1:19-23; Col 1:18; 2:19)
Jesus is the cornerstone in the building illustration (Eph. 2:20-22)
Jesus is the vine in his vine illustration (John 15:1-8)

Jesus is always connected to the church in some intimate way (at times as a groom to his bride or a captain to those he leads). Everyone in the church is connected to Jesus directly (not through a hierarchy), and through Jesus everyone in the church is connected to everyone else in the church.

The branches are connected to the vine, but also to each other through the vine. The Bible definitely makes this point in the body illustrations—we are connected to Christ as the Head, and through him the whole body is knit together both to the head and to each other.

Last week we saw Christ praying for the unity of the believers in his high priestly prayer in John 17, and now we see him as the primary means of that unity. Unity is all about Jesus. We are made one in him.

In Love

Jesus binds us together not just in our unity, but in our love for one another. As an example, let's look at how Paul loved other believers with Christ’s love in Philippians 1:7-8.

Paul loves the Philippians "with the affection of Christ Jesus." This is a very interesting statement.

In Greek we have en with the dative, which I take as causal, expressing means or instrument (If you don't understand this sentence, just ignore it). Paul is not describing his love, saying that he loves them like Jesus loves them. Rather Paul is describing the source or means of the love. Paul loves them with a love that comes directly from Jesus. Or perhaps we could even say that Jesus loves them through Paul. I really like how the KJV translated this—where Paul is longing for them "in the bowels of Jesus Christ."

Paul does not love them independently with a Christ-like love. Christ Jesus loves all believers, and empowers them to love. As a believer grows closer to Christ he or she will feel Christ's love for other believers. In addition, having been loved by Christ, we will respond by loving.

In this way, Paul is loving "in" Christ, and with Christ's very own love. Paul is feeling the affection that Jesus has for the Philippians as well as feeling it himself through Christ's power.

Empathy

Jesus binds all believers together into a unified whole. It is the nature of this bond that determines how we are to think of and treat one another. We are part of each other. Therefore, one of the primary characteristics of Christians who are practicing the love and unity of the church, is empathy.

Empathy is the ability to feel what another person is feeling for yourself. The ability to understand and share feelings. Empathy is being connected to those around you, so that when something good happens to them you are happy, and when something bad happens to them you are sad. Because you are connected to them in community, what happens to them, in some part, happens to you.

This is very much the sentiment of Scripture concerning believers' relationship to other believers. As Paul says in 1 Cor. 12:26 "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together."

The default reaction of Christian love is to emotionally identify with brothers and sisters in Christ. As Paul puts it, rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15). Empathetic love is a big part of how we bear one another's burdens in Galatians 6.

This is why the rivalry Paul condemns in Philippians 1 is so heinous. Delighting in the hard times or downfall of another because it may mean your advancement is opposed in every way to the love and unity the Apostles prescribed. The same goes for resenting the advancement or success of others. Competition is utterly foreign to the native feelings of unity.

So if you want to help the love and unity of the church, ask yourself if you are touched by the plights and triumphs of those around you, and if they know it.

Under Grace,

John Fritz

John Fritz is the Volunteer Coordinator for Thoughtful Life Ministries and the primary author of the Thoughtful Life Journal, which is published weekly from March through September. The purpose of this blog is to challenge and encourage those who have a desire to cultivate a more meaningful walk with Christ. Visit our Homepage to learn more about the ministry and our annual two-week summer Discipleship Program for teens and young adults.