Jesus Says ‘Love One Another,’ Not ‘Engage in Culture Wars’

In today’s world, it’s easy to become caught up in the cultural and political battles and culture wars that dominate our society. From social media debates to news headlines, we’re constantly being pulled into conflicts over who is right and who is wrong. Yet, when we turn to the teachings of Jesus, we find a different directive—a call not to engage in these wars, but to love one another.

The Call to Love

Jesus’ command to “love one another” is clear and unmistakable. He says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Notice, Jesus says “love one another” three times in this one statement. If someone tells you something that many times in short succession it must be pretty important to them. To add to this, Jesus made this statement right before he was arrested and crucified. What people say before they face death is usually of crucial importance. Also, Jesus called this a command. He didn’t say it was optional and he didn’t give us any indication that there was ever an exception to this ironclad command.

This love isn’t conditional or dependent on agreement. Jesus didn’t say, “Love one another if they agree with you,” or “Love one another only when it’s easy.” The love He commands is sacrificial, unconditional, and reflective of the love He has shown us.

Love Over Division

In many ways, culture wars are rooted in division. They are fueled by an “us versus them” mentality that seeks to draw lines between people. However, Jesus consistently broke down barriers and rejected the divisions that separated people. He dined with tax collectors and sinners, engaged with Samaritans, and extended grace to groups who were marginalized, ignored, and even hated. He loved even those that religious leaders of his day considered to be unlovable.

Jesus’ focus was never on winning arguments or proving others wrong. His focus was on reaching out with compassion, understanding, and forgiveness. In doing so, He modeled what it means to love in a way that transcends cultural and social divisions.

The Danger of Culture Wars

When we, as followers of Christ, engage in culture wars, we risk losing sight of our true mission. Our calling is to reflect the love and grace of Christ in our everyday lives. We are to reflect the love of Christ. When you look in the mirror, do you see a person who’s love reflects the love of Christ? If you don’t then, for the love of all that is good and decent in this world, stop doing what you’re doing and step back for a while until you can behave in a manner that is worthy of the name you claim you act in.

When we become entangled in the conflicts of the day, we can easily shift from being advocates of peace and justice to becoming participants in divisive battles that have nothing to do with Jesus and come across as harsh and unloving of those God created and loves.

The culture war in the United States today is one of harsh rhetoric, judgment, and an adversarial mindset. That’s not Jesus. The words many people who say they are Christians today say about others — others whom they are supposed to be loving — would disgust Jesus.

Your words and your rhetoric can alienate those we are supposed to lover and push people away from the inclusive and compassionate message of Christ. Instead of being known for our love and openness, we are being known for divisiveness and hostility. Your words have the ability to harm or the ability to heal. Choose to use them to heal.

A Higher Calling

Jesus calls us to a higher way of living—one that prioritizes love over everything else. This means that we embrace a posture of humility, openness, and compassion in every interaction, reflecting the heart of Christ. It’s not about avoiding difficult conversations, but about approaching them with a spirit of understanding and a commitment to love others, even when we see things differently.

Jesus was a Middle Eastern Jewish carpenter who lived during the age of the Roman empire. He and his followers thought as Easterners, not Westerners. Take some time to learn the difference in Eastern and Western thought and philosophy and you’ll realize that these political issues and cultural issues that you think align with Jesus’ teachings — are so far from the actual teachings of Jesus that it is comical the way some Christians defend a Western way of life by hijacking Eastern teachings and hacking them up until they aren’t even recognizable.

As followers of Jesus, our purpose is not to engage in cultural battles, but to be vessels of His love and healing in a world that is often divided. When we choose love over division, we embody the transformative message of Jesus. We show that following Him means living in a way that transcends the conflicts and divisions of our time.

If you can’t handle that and if you want to follow the fear and rage you hear from a lot of leaders who claim to follow Christ, turn off the TV, for God’s sake stop listening to talk radio and read the Sermon on The Mount. Read it over and over and over again until your rage has been replaced with love and your moral outrage has given way to compassion. When that happens, that is the moment you reflect the heart of Jesus.

As followers of Christ, we are called to be people of love, not warriors in culture wars. Our mission is to point others to Jesus, not to engage in battles that breed division. By loving one another as Jesus has loved us, we fulfill His command and become true disciples, known not for our arguments, but for our love.

Let us, then, heed Jesus’ words and choose the path of love. In doing so, we can make a lasting impact in a world that desperately needs to see the love of Christ in action.