What is a beloved community? It’s a term that was first coined by philosopher-theologian Josiah Royce, then popularized by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It means a community in which everyone is cared for, absent of poverty, hunger, and hate. This idea is generally outwardly focused, but Paul knew that whatever the inside relationships looked like in the Church would spill over to the outside. So much of the content of his letters went toward establishing health and holiness inside the church.
The word community has two words at its root: common and unity. So, a community is a group of people who abide together and have characteristics in common. Community is also a feeling of fellowship with others, because of sharing common attitudes, interests, goals, social values, and responsibilities. A community has a similar identity. The word beloved simply means dearly loved. It is God’s intent for us all to know we are dearly loved by Him and that we ought to dearly love one another. 1 John 4:7-8 says it this way, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God;” and “everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” We know we are supposed to live differently than the world. We know we’re to love one another, but how do we live that out practically? Paul teaches us how in Ephesians 4:17-32 (NLT).
Individuals in a Be-loved community walk in and live out the love of Christ.
Their hearts have been transfused with the Truth of God’s Word. Christ followers – in contrast to those who have yet to Believe – have intentionally put on the mind of Christ. Now you see one reason why Dr. King made forming a Beloved Community an integral part of his philosophy. He knew his followers would be beaten, they would be hosed, they would be cursed at, they would be brutalized and even some of them, and would be martyred for their cause. He knew the hatred they would face. He taught them, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Believers in the Beloved Community must let the mind of Christ rule in them. I have the opportunity to retaliate, to argue back, but I will choose not to. I will hold the same disposition that caused Jesus to humble Himself and become so obedient as to display God’s unconditional and unfailing love by being brutally beaten, mocked, scourged, and crucified on Calvary’s cross in order to die for the sins of the people who were hating and killing Him… and for our sins even when we neither love nor obey His commands. That depth of love covers a multitude of sins. If I’m committed to love like Christ did, I can love you through what you say about me, what you think about me, what you do to me. If we love like this, we can find a way to disagree agreeably without yielding to a cancel culture where we cut each other off and separate. If I’ve set my mind that I’m going to love you and I’m willing to die for you, Jesus said in John 15:13, there’s no greater love than that…so all of these other things should be reconcilable.
Through Christ,
Pastor Sherman Bradley