In the Appendix to his Narrative, Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) shares: …between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest, possible difference–so wide, that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked. To be the friend of the one, is of necessity to be the enemy of the other. I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels. Douglass draws a distinction between how Jesus instructs us to live and the evil of those who merely claim the title of Christian and live otherwise. While anyone can claim to be a Christian, Jesus specified that the way to demonstrate a genuine commitment to Him before others is to love others like He loves. John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Write a response on the how loving others like Christ loves evidences a genuine commitment to follow Christ?
