We Have Erected an Idol and Called it 'Love'

I'm rereading Jonathan Leeman's book for a J-term class on the Doctrine of the Church. I have never read another non-inspired book quite like it. Anyone who is struggling with their church, or is thinking of walking away from the 'institutional church' needs to carefully read it before they do anything rash.

I will likely be posting excerpts from it frequently in the coming days. In this chapter, he is discussing the factors in our culture that make Christians reluctant to join a church and churches reluctant to practice discipline.

"We have erected an idol and called it 'love.' And this idol called love has two great commands: 'Know that God loves you by not permanently binding you to anything (especially if you really don't want to be), and flowing from it, 'Know that your neighbor loves you best by letting yuo express entirely and without judgment.'

--Jonathan Leeman, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love

 http://www.amazon.com/Church-Surprising-Offense-Gods-Love/dp/1433509059/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1324506097&sr=8-2