"By This Shall All Men Know...

by J. Taylor, Crowborough | Category: General | Nov 1978

Most will be familiar with these words, recorded in John 13:35, spoken by the Lord to His own, telling them of the inward and outward signs of true discipleship. Probably most of us will at some time or another have experienced the real joy of unexpectedly meeting a fellow believer, previously unknown to us, the hearty shake of the hand and friendly greeting being an uplifting reminder that we have something very much in common, a love for the Lord Jesus Himself. This being so, how much more should this love be in evidence in the assemblies of God's people, as we meet with each other week by week. The warm handshake and loving greeting may mean far more to a brother or sister than we would imagine. They may have burdens known only to themselves and God, and in this lovely way may be cheered to feel that indeed "we have fellowship one with another" (1 John 1:7).

There are many dear saints who do make it their aim to shake hands with everyone, without exception, and we may thank God for every one of them. Sadly though, it has been known for saints to deliberately seek to avoid contact with each other, either from some personal dislike (the old nature being always with us) or through some past difference, which if trivial (and most of them are) should have been forgotten long ago, or, if of a more serious nature, should have been dealt with in the way prescribed by the Lord Jesus Himself in Matthew 18:15-17.

One can only humbly say in the words of James, "My brethren, these things ought not to be" (Jas. 3:10). So then, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God" (1 John 4:7). Careful and prayerful reading of the whole of the first Epistle of John should put our thoughts right in regard to these matters, and then we shall be able to enter into the spirit of the psalmist when he said in the Spirit, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity ... for there the LORD commanded the blessing" (Psa. 133:1,3).

J. Taylor, Crowborough | Nov 1978
General