Knowledge Grows in Love’s Soil … (Part Two)

Last week (part one) ended here: On the night of all nights, Jesus’ one new command wasn’t “Get it right!” but “Love like I love.” And with betrayal and arrest and flogging and crucifixion and complete separation from his Father all breathing down His neck, His heart cry concerned our oneness, not our rightness. 

Here’s why prioritizing what Jesus prioritized matters now more than ever. In this coming season, we will face more and more areas of strong disagreement, where the issue is so complex that we can’t possibly know all we need. How we respond will determine everything. Will we isolate or connect? Will we love or accuse? Will we submit to one another out of reverence for Christ? Or will we take Satan’s bait and join Team Accusation?

Was Pilate Ahead of his Time?

In John 18:38, when Jesus was on trial before Pilate, Pilate asked the timeless question, “What is truth?” Discerning what’s true versus what’s fabricated has never been more complex. Video evidence… might be AI generated. Speeches attributed to people we know might never have happened… it could easily be some provocative take simulated to match the famous voice. (Many “newly discovered” talks given by Billy Graham, for instance.) Have you ever taken the time to check the AI-cited references in its well-documented answers? They look good, but some aren’t real. 

Discerning what’s true versus what’s fabricated has never been more complex.

666 and other Revelation Conundrums

Chip technology that eliminates the need for cash has been around for awhile. Implanting it (along with your medical history, etc.) under the skin so you don’t have to carry those troublesome cards? It’s already a thing. How long will it be before the “mark of the beast” discussions become life and death, dividing families, congregations, and more? Who will you trust? The smaller that circle, the easier it is to be manipulated.

Respecting Government while Answering to God

How ungodly do laws have to be before you say, “no more”? What happens when Jesus-followers deeply immersed in God’s Word disagree? This isn’t unfamiliar territory! Christians all over the world say “We must obey God rather than you” and give their lives for it. And lest we forget - the world Jesus lived in was the Roman empire, and Jesus wasn’t the only one to hang on a cross. What He prioritized then applies completely to now. 

Busy, Busy, Busy

Does anyone want to bet that our society’s pace will slow down soon? Not me! Time-saving devices don’t save time, they increase productivity. Because you’re able to carry a computer in your pocket or on your wrist and connect with anyone in the world at any time, you’re now expected to. Who has time for the slow process of building loving relationships with all this activity happening? Human do-ing makes it more and more challenging to live like human be-ings.

When the Going Gets Tough…

In a marriage, when conflict arises (probably on the honeymoon and every week or so afterwards,) the relationships that double down on love as a commitment not only survive, but thrive. Each partner learns and grows and matures individually as well as corporately. That same level of commitment will be required throughout the Body of Christ, increasingly as the challenges mount in complexity. 

Deeper love isn’t opposed to growth in knowledge and truth - it’s the path to achieve it! 

Dave Drum, Founder