In the book The Mark of the Christian Francis Schaeffer argues that the world has largely rejected Christianity because we do not bear the mark of Christ. What is the mark? Love. When we live in God’s love that element will spill over into our other relationships. Like a light on a hill that cannot be hidden, as Jesus said, the love of God ought to be seen by all. When it is we share the mark, that is we are identified as the people of God. It is what some call “lifestyle evangelism” but I simply call it obedience.

Let’s get down to brass tacks. It may be popular in our culture to plan our future, elevate ourselves when in the company of others, and to make snarky comments about those who outperform us but nowhere is this lifestyle advocated by the Bible. It may seem counterintuitive, but our lives are not about ourselves – at least not if we take the two greatest commandments seriously. Loving God and loving others is what makes life full and satisfying, not self-absorption.

Aside from the two greatest commandments, given us by God himself by the way, there is repeated evidence in Scripture for the importance of Love. Romans 13.8-10 tell us that Love is the fulfillment of the Old Testament law. John makes repeated use of the phrase “love one another”, in fact he uses it 12 times. He also states that “God is love” and that he who loves others is “in God” and “belongs to God”. Paul provides practical advice, telling us to “love your wife” as Christ loves the church. Jesus says “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”

These are only a few examples found throughout the Bible. How many times are we commanded to love? I’ve no idea. I can say this with assurance, however, that there is no command repeated more frequently than the command to love. It should follow then, that to think-biblically would mean to think of others more often and with greater importance than yourself. With all this emphasis given to love in the Bible why do we give it so little attention? Can one be a Christian and fail to love others?

John tells us in his first epistle that he doubts the claims of any who do not love others first. He doubts the veracity of their claim to follow Jesus, as should we. Love is truly the mark of the Christian and without it there is no evidence of God’s work in a person’s life. Francis Schaeffer offers these words of hope to us who struggle with our selfishness:

"It is possible to be a Christian without showing the mark, but if we expect non-Christians to know that we are Christians, we must show the mark."

The blood of Christ is capable of redeeming a person from any sin, including that of selfishness, which is great news for all of us living in the 21^st century. If we continue to live in that sin, however, we need to take heed John’s statement that those who do not love others first are probably lying about their trust in Jesus. He isn’t saying that one can lose their salvation if they do not love God and others, he is saying he doubts there was ever a conversion experience in the first place.

The repetition of the command (well over two dozen times in the New Testament alone), the importance of love in the life of the believer, and the personal testimony that results from loving others well all point to one truth: As God is love, so too should we be love. Since God is love, to pursue love is to pursue God and there is no greater pursuit in life.