The Christian hymn "And They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love" proclaims that an unbelieving world will come to understand who we are as Christians by the love we show.
Sadly, many believers point out in John the Elder's letters that others will know we are Christians by the love we show one another -- other Christians. And that IS what his letters say.
However, I see no reference, in reading further, to the desirability of keeping 'em guessing by being unloving toward those who don't identify as Christians. In fact, the rest of John's letters extol the virtue of love, period, for Christ's sake. There's no escape clause in dealing with those outside the church, and I imagine the old apostle -- the "disciple Jesus loved" -- would be horrified to see how we often lavish our brethren with affection while pouring bile into the cups of those outside the church.
No one ought to have to come to Jesus Christ before benefiting from the love poured out by His people.
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This post is probably off topic, given it does not address "love" in the context of Christian theology, but allow me this indulgence.
I was reminded of Jane Siberry's stunningly beautiful song, "Love Is Everything," from the album "When I Was A Boy," which was later sung by K. D. Laing on the album "Hymns of the 49th Parallel." And given that Siberry is not as well known as her genius deserves, I feel compelled sometimes to promote her work.
While the song is not explictly "religious" in a "mainstream" sense (even with the phrases "kindgom come" and "kneel down and say"), I find Siberry's work to sometimes embody a profound sense of spirituality that hopefully all religious faiths (and everyone regardless of faith or not) could embrace. The lyrics do not come close to communicating the beauty of the song as she sings it...
Siberry's album "When I Was A Boy" does include "religious" themes, while, again, not declaring any particular religious faith, such as the song "Calling All Angels," sung with K. D. Laing, and "The Gospel According To Darkness:"
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/lang-k-d/love-is-everything-jane-siberry-13489.html
http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1100567/a/When+I+Was+A+Boy.htm
"Love Is Everything" by Jane Siberry
Maybe it was to learn how to love
Maybe it was to learn how to leave
Maybe it was for the games we played
Maybe it was to learn how to choose
Maybe it was to learn how to lose
Maybe it was for the love we made
Love is everything they said it would be
Love made sweet and sad the same
But love forgot to make me too blind to see
You're chickening out aren't you?
You're bangin' on the beach like an old tin drum
I cant wait 'til you make
The whole kingdom come
So I'm leaving
Maybe it was to learn how to fight
Maybe it was for the lesson in pride
Maybe it was the cowboys' ways
Maybe it was to learn not to lie
Maybe it was to learn how to cry
Maybe it was for the love we made
Love is everything they said it would be
Love did not hold back the reins
But love forgot to make me too blind to see
You're chickening out aren't you?
You're bangin' on the beach like an old tin drum
I cant wait 'til you make
The whole kingdom come
So I'm leaving
First he turns to you
Then he turns to her
So you try to hurt him back
But it breaks your body down
So you try to love bigger
Bigger still
But it...it's too late
So take a lesson from the strangeness you feel
And know you'll never be the same
And find it in your heart to kneel down and say
I gave my love didn't I?
And I gave it big...sometimes
And I gave it in my own sweet time
I'm just leaving
Love is everything...
Jane Siberry
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Ted Moffett
It's "K. D. Lang" not "Laing."
I had to correct that glaring mistake...
Ted Moffett
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