Jesus cared about holiness more than anyone who’s ever walked the earth.

Jesus cared about love more than anyone who’s ever walked the earth.

Followers of Jesus must recognize both of these: how much Jesus cared about holiness, and how much Jesus cared about love.

Some of us naturally, and rightfully, bear a burden of holiness for our world. We look around at culture and, like the prophets Isaiah and Nehemiah—and also Peter and Jude—feel a deep sadness and concern for what we’re witnessing. It should hearten us that Christ Himself cares about holiness even more than we do.

Others of us naturally, and rightfully, bear a burden of love for our world. We look around at the bruised and broken and, like the prophets Amos and Micah—and also John and James—feel a deep sadness and concern for what we’re witnessing. It should hearten us that Christ cares about love even more than we do. 

It should not be one or the other.

Those of us who focus on holiness must ask ourselves: Do we truly and deeply love people as Christ does? Do we delight in people as Christ does? Because the people who met Jesus knew that He delighted in them. That’s why they listened to and trusted Him. They could tell how much He loved them—how much He liked them. A bruised reed He did not break; a smoldering wick He did not snuff out. The call to holiness must be accompanied by love. If the former Pharisee Saul of Tarsus recognized his need to love, then we must as well. Otherwise, we will be nothing more than “sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1).   

Those of us who focus on love must ask ourselves: Do we love only as the world does? Or do we love differently than the world does? Because Jesus loved differently than the world does. Jesus didn’t settle for hanging out with sinners; He called “sinners to repentance” (Matt. 9:13). He cared about not only their earthly lives but also their eternal lives. What’s more caring? To say “I love you—don’t do this”? Or to say, “I love you—go ahead and do this”?

It’s true that the world, like the good Samaritan, has often cared for people’s physical needs better than the church has. But the other ditch is caring only for people’s physical needs while ignoring their spiritual needs. Be wary of calls to love—even among Christian leaders—that don’t include the name of Christ. Humans are not the solution to every problem; only Christ is. It’s not unloving to share the holiness of Christ with someone. It’s unloving not to. Filled with grace and truth, Christ lived a life of holy love, calling His followers to do the same.