That We May Be Known As Christians

There were 142 of us in the group touring Israel, led by the Armenian priest, Samuel Doctorian.  All but one was Christian.  My sis was the only non-Christian, then, in that group.  She commented to me:  “I have never seen Singaporeans like these; there’s no rushing to be first in line even with such a large group.”  That was more than ten years ago.

I had a sense of déjà vu during the recent short-term missions trip to Northern Thailand in Dec 2012.  My uncle, who was in the missions team though he was not a Christian, commented to me:  “These people (referring to the Christians in the missions team) are very polite to one another.”  A non-Christian friend in the same missions team was impressed by the team unity.  On the last day of the missions trip as we made our way down the winding mountain roads to Cheng Mai, a young lady sacrificially went to sit at the back of the van even though she had vomited on the way up the mountains; she vomited again on the way down, notwithstanding the anti-motion pills.

So what are Christians like?

Jesus teaches us:

 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it:  Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Matthew 22:37-39)

“A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  (John 13:34-35)

And so the distinguishing mark of a Christian is love – for God, for our neighbor, for one another.

Is love shown only to or among Christians?  Not so.  The Apostle Paul urges Christians “to do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers”.  (Galatians 6:10)  Yes, we do good to fellow believers; we also do good to those who have yet to believe.  

The mobile medical clinic during our missions trip served all who were sick, whether Christian or non-Christian.  Even after the clinic was closed for the day, a late-comer who brought his sick child was promptly attended to.  In the words of our pastor-doctor who led the medical clinic:  “This is what we come here to do – to serve and show love to the community.”  This love was even extended to that which was dear to a patient – his ailing chicken.  And our pastor-doctor calmly and carefully examined his chicken to allay the patient’s anxiety.  This, then, is love – God’s love to all. 

As Christians, we show our faith by our deeds (James 2:14-26).  We do not become Christians by doing good deeds; we become Christians because of the love and grace of God, because of our faith in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.  Good deeds come later, after we accepted and received the love of God and Jesus Christ.  It is because of the love that God gives us, that Christians have the love to do good deeds.      

And so we sing in the chorus of the song, ‘We are One in the Spirit’:  “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.  Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

We Are One In The Spirit (Worship Song)

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land.

We will work with each other, we will work side by side,

We will work with each other, we will work side by side,
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride.

All praise to the Father, from whom all things come,

And all praise to Christ Jesus, His only Son,
And all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one.