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BROTHERLY LOVE
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21
1 Thessalonians 4:9-10

Romans 12:9-10

 

“…ye yourselves are taught of God

to love one another.”

 

BROTHERLY LOVE
 
Time and again, the Scripture tells us that the hallmark of every true believer is to love. God is love, and we love Him because He first loved us. As believers, we have the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost (Rom 5:5). Love is the first facet of the fruit of the Spirit that every believer will bear (Gal 5:22). To obey God’s commandments is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matt 22:37-39).
 
In addition to that, there is also a more specific love that we must have – “Philadelphia,” that is the love for brethren, or brotherly love. It is a term that refers to the love that one would have for family and close relationships, but by extension is also a term adopted by the New Testament church to speak of the love of fellow believers within the household of God. That is the topic that Paul broached in 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10. He praised them for their testimony of brotherly love, for it was evident throughout the churches in Macedonia (eg. Philadelphia, Berea). It must have been something most encouraging for Paul to hear about, to know that this group of new believers had banded together in his absence and was now an example of love not just in their city, but testified of by churches round about them too. He knew that this was not something he could take credit for. He knew that God alone was the One who had taught them how to love.
 
We too ought to cultivate a love for our fellow brethren, whom we shall be spending eternity with. They are fellow saints, washed and cleansed by Jesus’ blood, accepted in the beloved. If God has so freely loved them, surely we can love them as well. In fact, our closest friends ought to be fellow believers for they are the ones who should be able to understand us the most. Unbelievers do not have the same worldview as us, nor are they able to understand our spiritual struggles or provide godly counsel. Our shared experiences in Christ should be what binds us together, for we all have a common purpose to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
 
THOUGHT: Are my best friends believers or unbelievers?
PRAYER: Father, may Thou place in my heart a love for my fellow brethren, that I may serve Thee effectively in the household of God.

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