John Stott once wrote, “Every claim to love God is a delusion if it is not accompanied by unselfish and practical love for our brothers and sisters.” 

Our love for God cannot be separated from our love for other people because the way we display our love for Jesus is by the way we love others.  The way we express our love for the lord is especially shown by the way we treat his bride, the church.  It is absurd to think that a person could love Jesus, who he has never seen, if he cannot love the people in the church – the bride of Christ – who he can see.

1 John 4:20 says, “20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”