If you know anything about Jonathan Edwards history you would realize that for him to say we must love the church is quite notable. He was removed from the pastorate of his church, yet for years afterward still preached due to their not having a preacher.
“A common argument of many nominal Christians is that they love Jesus but don’t care for the church. The teaching of 1 John exposes the flaws of this argument, revealing it to be an unbiblical dichotomy. All who are saved by God possess the Spirit, which links them to all other people who possess the Spirit. The local church, of course, is not perfect, and some have had difficult experiences with churches they have attended. But when God saves a person, He gives them a love for His people. His people are the church.”
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Jonathan Edwards