More Freakin’ Love in the New World

Shawn McCraney teaches that true Christianity hinges on faith and love, emphasizing that love—specifically Agape love—is the ultimate goal for believers, as it represents eternal life through loving God and one's neighbor. He critiques the LDS Church's layered approach to salvation, arguing that genuine salvation and eternal life come from living out Agape love through faith, rather than through church rituals or ordinances.

To truly embody Christian love, individuals must transition from merely attending church and engaging in religious activities to actively participating in a personal relationship with God by being "in the game," which metaphorically represents being born of the Spirit and living authentically through faith in Jesus Christ. While joining the team and standing on the sidelines reflects commitment and belonging, real growth and the ultimate goal of love are only achieved through full engagement in this spiritual journey.

Shawn's teaching emphasizes that the essence of the Christian journey is not merely being part of a religious community or acting out faith-based actions, but rather achieving the ultimate goal of agape love by trusting and following Jesus Christ's guidance through faith. Just like players on a field follow the coach's strategy to reach the end-zone, Christians are called to navigate life's challenges by adhering to Christ's teachings, which leads them to embody and express selfless love towards God and neighbor.

To grasp eternal life, the true goal is to love God completely and love your neighbor as yourself, which cannot be achieved through our own merits but through faith in Jesus. Salvation involves both being saved by grace through faith and actively pursuing love as the ultimate goal, with faith and love being two sides of the same coin.