For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of His body.

Ephesians 5:29-30 (ESV)

The Christian church has faced many challenges over the years and it will continue to battle obstacles until the day Jesus returns. Despite the trials and tribulations that the church will take on, the people must hold strong and stand together. For if Christ loves the church, then that must also mean that Christians should love one another, no matter what.

These two verses in Ephesians are connected with Ephesians 5:28, which says, “Husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.” In context, verses 29-30 are talking about husbands loving their wives. However, we can also take these verses to apply to how we should love one another within the church.

No matter how annoying or hurtful a fellow Christian can be, Jesus calls us to love them anyway. Whether we like them or not, they are still part of the church. Just like the church is the bride of Christ, He loves us the way a husband ought to love his wife. People are imperfect and sinful. We have to recognize that they make mistakes, even if they’re Christians.

The church is made up of many members, just like the body has arms, legs, a head, etc. Everyone has to work together in order to achieve success. No matter how much you hate your leg, you can’t simply cut it off. It’s just not practical. The same applies to our fellow members of the church. We are called to love another and forgive, just as Christ forgives us.

Christian churches have a common belief in Jesus Christ. We have different ways of approaching that through various types of worship and baptisms. Despite our differences, we must all remember our unified purpose: to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

By working on these things, we can spread the gospel to those who need it. Through our vessels, God can save souls from eternal punishment and bring them into eternal life. Let’s be a part of that grace. It starts within the church.

This week, consider how you want to get plugged in to a church and how God wants to lead you in your service to Him. If you are already a part of a church, pray about how you can serve the Lord with your gifts so that others might be saved.