Luke 10:27 – And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

Truth falls as worthless apart from love. A Christian’s love is most authentic when it is exercised in the local church in action toward other believers! I have a little saying: all theology is local church theology. If the theology and truth you’ve learned does not live itself out in the body of believers in caring, nurturing, encouraging, and helping one another, then it is worthless truth. The last thing we need is another brilliant theologian with cold, hard truth! No, we need warm hearts of love that live out truth in the body of Christ. This is what shows God’s wisdom and magnifies God for who He is.

Jesus said in John 13:35, “All men will know you are My disciples by the love that you have for one another.” Men will not know that you are His disciples by the doctrine you hold. But, be balanced! Doctrine is essential. We are a creedal people in the sense that we believe in certain doctrines that are stated and settled forever. However, men are not drawn to you and the reality of God in you by the fact that you can dot i’s and cross t’s doctrinally; however, God is seen when doctrine comes out of His children in love for God and love for the body, the local church.