Brotherly Love for One Another
“Now as to the love of the brothers and sisters, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;” Paul (1 Thessalonians 4:9)
Real Love can only come from God as any other imitations fall short. Our “brotherly love” must be an overflow of His Agape (selfless, sacrificial, self-giving love that prefers Him above all else). We cannot love our fellow man and compromise God’s Love in any way.
Seems that The Holy Spirit had much to say about loving “one another” to each of the churches that Paul helped plant as the early church was growing. Must have been important to know how to treat, what to do and what not to do to “one another” in order to exhibit Christ’s Love to The Church but also to those around them who needed to see and know His Love as well.
Certainly the same is true today and it has to be much more than just a system or program of events or activities. These “one anothers” are deeply rooted in loving relationships as what forms them and how they grow in Christ.
Paul continued to encourage the Church at Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 4:9 with the simple yet powerful command, that we’ve seen before and will see again, to “…Love each other.”
Paul begins this verse talking about “philadelphia” (no not the city of “brotherly love”) as “brotherly love” but the command give is to “agape” one another which is Godly love… preferring God above all others. This literally means that it must be my love for God that drives my love for all others.
As we know from other Scriptures and study, this includes all the other “one
anothers” such as submitting to, exhorting, encouraging, forgiving, etc. Every time we read “love one another” we must consider and apply each of these others as needed in order to build and mature in the loving relationships that set us apart as Christ’s disciples and grow us together as His loving fellowship of believers, the Church (Ephesians 4:14-16).
How are you doing personally in loving others as His disciple? How are you doing as a member of His Body in loving other individuals and His whole Family?
Food for Thought…Do you know God’s Love and are you returning love to Him as of first priority? What does that love look like as it overflows to others in brotherly love? What do you need to change in order to love others without compromising God’s Agape?
Action Steps…
- Spend time with God and in His Word and prayer every day…begin with the Scriptures in this message.
- Ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
- How does your love for others (or lack thereof) reflect God’s Love and prioritizing Him above all else?
- What happens when you love in your own flesh and strength rather than according to God’s design and love? What needs to change?
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