Today’s Superverse is John 13:35 “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

The Badge of True Christians – John 13:35

In this passage Jesus tells his disciples that they will be identified as his followers by demonstrating love for one another. This is a new command, one that goes beyond the simple practice of neighborly love and shows a different kind of sacrificial love.

If you have this kind of love for your fellow believers it will be a badge of honor, a symbol that all will know that you are his disciple.

It is also a sign of authenticity and a testimony that your faith is genuine and not just a passing fancy or fad.

Persecution and persecution for righteousness’ sake is a good example of the sort of persecution that Jesus is referring to here (verse 33). This sort of persecution is borne by those who will not give up and are committed to doing what is right and God’s will.

The Social Gospel movement wears a badge of dishonor when it over-emphasizes the importance of social and political issues as though they are the most important thing in the world. Rather than focusing on spiritual issues like sin, repentance, salvation, heaven and hell, this type of Christianity over-emphasizes social and political concerns such as poverty, housing, health, education, crime, human rights etc.

Those who refuse to get baptized and refuse to submit to the authority of the Bible and the church, wear a badge of dishonor. They are too arrogant to accept the truth that obedience is a prerequisite for salvation.