Sometimes Saints I just don’t know. Listen to the deep dive and read the briefing. Let’s try to make sense of it all.
Briefing Document: Review of "IS Christianity LOVELESS By Default_.mp3"
Source: Audio excerpt from "IS Christianity LOVELESS By Default_.mp3" Topic: An exploration of whether Christianity, as practiced, is inherently loveless, focusing on introspection and the application of love and mercy. Speakers: Pastor Lamont (host), Reverend Rose (panelist), Apostle Keith Jenkins (main speaker/teacher) Date of Broadcast: May 4th, 2025
Executive Summary:
This broadcast from Kingdom Teachers International Ministries features Pastor Lamont, Reverend Rose, and Apostle Keith Jenkins discussing the provocative question: "Is Christianity loveless by default?" The core argument, primarily driven by Apostle Keith, is that while divine love and grace are foundational to Christianity, the practical application and demonstration of love and mercy among believers and towards the world are often lacking due to unresolved personal issues, hypocrisy, and a failure to understand and embody the nature of Christ. The discussion challenges listeners to examine their own hearts, particularly their capacity for mercy and their tendency to prioritize personal convenience and judgment over authentic Christian love.
Key Themes and Important Ideas:
The Nature of True Christian Love (Agape Love): The speakers emphasize that the love they are discussing is not a superficial or man-made affection but "agape love," the God-kind of love. This love is characterized by a willingness to correct, implement change (even if uncomfortable), and show mercy and compassion.
Quote: "This is agape love here. The God kind of love. A love enough to correct you. Enough love to to to uh implement change and that change sometimes may not be according to your liking but yet it is love.
"
The Hypocrisy of Claiming to Love God While Hating or Loving Others Less: A central point, drawn from 1 John 4:20, is the inherent contradiction in claiming to love a God whom one has not seen, while failing to love a brother or sister whom one has seen. This failure to love is defined not just as outright hatred but also as "loving less," detesting, or persecuting.
Quote: (From 1 John 4:20) "If a man say, 'I love God,' and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen. How can he love God whom he hath not seen?"
Quote: (Apostle Keith interpreting "hateth") "Look at the word hate... to detest, to persecute, to love less... when you see me because I hate you, I have less love for you. But yet, you say you love God."
Quote: "If a man say I love God and hateth his brother. You are straight up li[ar]."
The Importance of Mercy: A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the lack of mercy among believers. The speakers highlight the paradox of Christians who have received God's boundless mercy but are unwilling to extend mercy to others, even those who are "guilty." The concept of "cities of refuge" from the Old Testament is used as an analogy for God's provision of mercy.
Quote: "I don't understand how your God gave you so much love while you was yet a sinner and saved you. I don't... I said I don't understand your Christianity that when you see someone else, No mercy."
Quote: "Even in the law, there were certain cities called refuge... God, that was a mercy city."
Quote: "somewhere in your rightness, you have no room for mercy."
Quote: "You don't have a God given right not to show mercy, not to have compassion, not to be empathetic, not to have sympathy."
Unresolved Issues and Toxic Personality Traits as Barriers to Love: The speakers contend that internal, unresolved issues, toxic personality traits, self-centeredness, and mindsets of entitlement prevent believers from genuinely loving others and cause conflict within the church and personal relationships.
Quote: "There are things about us that we don't like to admit... We really have unresolved issues in our life. We really have personality traits that are toxic, that are poisonous. We really have mindset that we have mindsets of entitlement. This This thing is about me. I'm self-centered, self-will and it causes a conflict when we get among others."
Quote: "2,000 years later, we are still dealing with heart issues."
The Source of Conflict and Quarrels (James 4:1): Drawing from James 4:1, the speakers identify the root cause of fighting and quarreling among believers as internal "lusts" or the desire for "your own way." This self-will is presented as the core of the conflict, not necessarily the external person or situation.
Quote: (From James 4:1, Message Bible) "They come about because you want your own way and fight for it deep inside yourselves."
Quote: "Me not liking you, me fighting you, me quarreling with you is coming because it is deep inside. I want my own way."
Quote: "That spouse is not fighting you. That spouse is fighting to have their own way. That church quarrel. It's not just about you. It's about you having your own way."
The Disconnect Between Divinity and Humanity: Apostle Keith expresses frustration with believers who can appreciate the divinity of Christ but struggle to accept or extend grace for the humanity of others, including fellow believers who are "not there yet" in their walk. This applies to various human struggles and differences.
Quote: "I can deal with divinity. I can't deal with humanity. Come here, pastor. I can deal with your divinity. I can't deal with your humanity. I can deal with the fact that You are supposed to be like Jesus. I can't deal with the fact you're not there yet."
Quote: "I can't deal with the fact, that you're a man and you like another man. I can't deal with that. I can't deal with, you're a woman and you like another woman. I can't deal with you secretly got an abortion... I can't deal with the fact that you got something rolled up in your car..."
Challenging Religious Customs vs. Biblical Doctrine: The speakers critique religious practices and customs that prioritize outward appearance, rigid rules (e.g., communion requirements, dress codes), or traditions over the core biblical mandates of love, mercy, and genuine relationship. They differentiate between "religion" (which separates and causes confusion) and "redemption" (which God came to bring).
Quote: "We don't have religion, but we have redemption."
Quote: "Religion... cause separation and and and confusion."
Quote: "I'm so religious. It's ridiculous. I can't even have the Lord's supper. Unless we all look alike."
Quote: "That's not part of the ordinances of the church... But you better learn how to wash someone's feet with your little Baptist washing and communion eating self."
Faith as a Fight and Building Faith: The discussion briefly revisits previous lessons, highlighting that "faith is a fight" and "isn't for the weak of heart." They note that everyone is given a measure of faith, which can be increased by "trying it" and stepping out on God's word.
Quote: "faith is a fight. Yeah. It comes with a fight."
Quote: "faith isn't for the weak of heart."
Quote: "each of us are given uh a uh a measure of faith. Yes. We're given a measure of faith and it's up to us to to to build on that faith."
Redemption vs. Religion: The speakers contrast "religion," which they argue often leads to separation and confusion, with "redemption," which is the purpose for which Christ came.
Quote: "We don't have religion, but we have redemption."
Quote: "Religion... cause separation and and and confusion."
The Lie of Hating One's Brother: Hating one's brother while claiming to love God is unequivocally labeled as a lie. According to Revelation, all liars will face eternal consequences. This is linked back to the definition of a liar as a "false and faithless man."
Quote: "If a man say, 'I love God,' and hateth his brother, he is a liar... You straight up a liar."
Quote: "all liars according to this same John in the revealing of Jesus Christ that we call the revelation. All liars will have their part in the lake of fire that burns forever and ever."
Repentance Must Bear Fruit: The speakers challenge the idea of superficial repentance, particularly before taking communion. True repentance, they argue, must be accompanied by "fruit," demonstrating a change of mind and action.
Quote: "You are sorry. You not repenting. You didn't have enough time to change to change. change your mind and implement the change that you just did... You can't come here. How you going to have repentance and no fruit? That fruit goes along with repentance."
Biology vs. Christianity (Regarding Sex and Relationships): Apostle Keith controversially states that "Sex is not Christian. Sex is biological." This is used to challenge the harsh, judgmental reactions of some Christians to issues like unwed pregnancy or same-sex attraction, suggesting that biological realities are being judged through a narrow, potentially unmerciful, religious lens. This point is linked to the story of Mary's pregnancy and God's grace.
Quote: "Sex is not Christian... Sex is biological."
Quote: "So why are you throwing your child out your house because they did something that's biological?"
Most Important Facts and Ideas:
The core question: Is Christianity, as practiced, loveless by default? The implicit answer is often yes, due to human failure to live out the love they profess.
1 John 4:20: The scriptural basis for the argument that hating one's brother demonstrates a lack of love for God.
Lack of Mercy: Believers often fail to show mercy to others despite having received mercy from God, highlighting a fundamental inconsistency.
Internal Root of Conflict: James 4:1 reveals that fighting and quarreling stem from internal desires and wanting one's own way, not primarily from external circumstances.
Hypocrisy Regarding Humanity: There's a widespread inability among Christians to deal with the complexities, struggles, and differences in human nature, preferring an idealized view that lacks mercy.
Religion vs. Redemption: The distinction between counterproductive religious practices and the redemptive purpose of Christ is crucial.
Liars Face Eternal Consequences: The strong warning from Revelation about the fate of all liars, connecting lying to a lack of faith and love.
Conclusion:
The broadcast serves as a powerful and confrontational challenge to self-examine the authenticity of one's Christian walk. It argues that the lack of love, mercy, and compassion seen among many who claim to be Christian is a significant problem rooted in internal issues and a failure to truly understand and embody the nature of Christ. The call to action is to move beyond superficial religious practices and customs to genuinely love, show mercy, and repent in a way that produces visible fruit, aiming to be "like Jesus in my heart."
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