Essentials

A fish has a nature— it swims.   A hawk has a nature— it flies. It’s a natural compulsion. As believers we have an inward divine compulsion to love one another. When you accept Christ as your savior; when you give Him your life— He puts His nature in you. 2 Peter 1.4 says— “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” A saved person has a divine nature, a new spiritual-DNA strand within us. We are born-again, Jesus said (John 3). In a new family, with new ambitions and new goals. Because God is love— then we are too. (1 John 4.8). 1 Thessalonians 4 9-12 clarifies this. In verse 9 Paul said— “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.” The two most used words in the New Testament in greek for love is ‘phileo’ and ‘agape’. Agape loves as God loves, regardless of feelings or personal preferences. It is unconditional and self-sacrificing. It is a ‘no matter what’ kind-of-love. Phileo love, on the other hand, is a love of deep affection. But it’s human and conditional. In the best sense, it can be referred to as family love, like children of the same father. As we all know, no family is perfect and it has some conditions. God’s love doesn’t. Here— “brotherly love” is: phila-del-phia from ‘Phileo’. Christians belong to the same family, with the same Father, then they should have the same love for each other. This is the minimal. What should that look like? That is what the text explains.Brotherly Love Is…

Brotherly love is— Obeyed. “taught of God to love”— this is agape or unconditional love. We have been taught by Jesus, God. (John 13.34— “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”) We have been taught by Holy Spirit, God. (Romans 5.5— “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”) The greatest difference between phileo and agape is: the expression of will. We should phileo—love each other naturally and passionately; and obey God as He teaches us to learn to love unconditionally. 

Brotherly love is— An Action. Christians seem to love passively. But in chapter 3, verse 6 the word chosen for agape love was—“charity”.Charity in each usage is an action word. In other words, if it is real love then it is not merely a feeling, but an action. Like“brotherly love”— it is love, in action. Love is the circulatory system of the body of Christ, but if our spiritual muscles are not exercised, the circulation is impaired. God does this by putting us into circumstances that force us to practice Christian love. Have you noticed that we always seem to be tossed into the most uncomfortable situations with the most uncomfortable people? God is giving us an opportunity to put His love into action. It is tempting to escape. But, if we do, we cannot exercise the second most important area of obedience— loving others (Matthew 22.39). This is what sets us apart. We react differently than others. We react with love. Modern North American churches seem a bit more quarrelsome than loving. Brotherly love cannot mean that. It obviously means— you wouldn’t talk about anyone behind their back, ever; you wouldn’t be selfish with your time; you wouldn’t make excuses for not wanting to be with others you love; you wouldn’t wish for their set-back. Conversely, you would: care; come over; stay awhile; participate; listen; invest in them; sacrifice willingly; stop others from speaking evil of them; defend their honor; hug more; sit more; enjoy more. God’s definition of love doesn’t just say or think or even believe we love— it takes action!

Brotherly love is— Expanding. This is true to all believers, everywhere! In verse 10 it states— “And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia:”There are some people you are more comfortable around than others. That is no different than the world though. We are called to love everyone unconditionally. Isn’t that what God did for us? (Romans 5.8). Isn’t He the one in us teaching us to love like Him? Then our love should be genuine and expanding even to the unlovely.

Brotherly love is— Increasing. Even though this love should come natural; that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t harness it and work at it. Also in verse 10 it says— “but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;” To be clear inchapter 3, verse 6 Timothy had reported the good news of their love— “But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity” (love in action). Paul was not telling them to do something they did not already do; he was encouraging them to advance it in quality and quantity“more and more”. Paul’s prayers were answered… “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity (love in action) of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;” (2 Thessalonians 1.3). It abounded! It grew exponentially. So should our’s.

Brotherly love is— Essential. The text simply and yet profoundly says— “love one another”. Our love is proof that we are indeed His disciples. As Jesus said in John 13.35— “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Did you see it? Did you see the little conditional word— “if”. Your decision to love like Him, in action, genuinely— can expand the Kingdom, or it could be putting an unintentional black-eye on the gospel ministry. We must see it as it is— essential. 

If we do not abandon the comfort zones of our lives— then we will stand before Him ashamed at the lost opportunities. We have God-love available to pour out of us onto this needy world. I cannot live with knowing I had more love to give that I didn’t give. Selfishness is the anti-thesis of the true disciple of Jesus.

I choose to obey Him. I choose to love, unconditionally, in action! What do you chose?