4.3. To love Christians or non-Christians?

Jesus calls us to love one another because God is love, and when we do, others will recognize us as His followers. However, loving others isn't the ultimate goal—salvation is. Many Christian communities today focus so much on loving fellow believers that they forget about reaching out to those outside their group. Some communities, where members don't rely on each other for basic needs, can become places of insecurity rather than places that spread love.

The challenge is deciding whether to focus on loving our neighbors or loving our community. Sometimes, the needs of the community can take so much attention that sharing the Gospel gets pushed aside. A good way to approach this is to prioritize: 'Love God first,' 'Love one another because God is love,' and 'Love thy neighbors to spread the good news.' Loving one another isn't the end goal, but a way to show the world the love of God.