“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Romans 12:5).
TEXT — Romans12:1-8
Message
We attach much importance to love, and read lots of meaning to it, most of which are unnecessary. The real object of our love should be towards God first and then to the people around us. It is assumed that we already love ourselves. God, therefore, wants us to direct the remaining love in our hearts to our brethren and other people around us.
Apostle Paul’s illustration buttresses the correlation and inter-dependence of our physical body parts on each other. From the head and all the accessories that make up the head region to the trunk and its appendages, the apostle argued that none of our body parts can exist in isolation. They interact to nourish, receive and release information; thereby, making the whole body happy, healthy and functional.
Caring for one another is a central theme in the writings of Paul. It came all the way from the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples before Paul’s emergence. This became a standard emphasis of the disciples and those who came later into the fold. They were told to love their enemies and do good to those who hate them and despitefully use and persecute them (Matthew 5:43-48). Jesus prayed and ministered to Jews, Gentiles, Roman soldiers, publicans and foreigners. He welcomed and accepted all that came to Him. One common denominator that is very visible in Christianity is love. It is the love we have for all of God’s creation that attracts people into the Kingdom. People gravitate towards the followers of Christ in every nation and clime because they see the practical evidence of the love of Christ in them. We are commanded to love the sinners, not their sins. This approach is the most effective instrument in evangelism – person-to-person evangelism through friendship, love and care. We are also to feed the hungry and assist those in need.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
