Oluwole Josiah
This simple injunction is found in the opening verse of the 13th chapter of the book of Hebrews in the Bible. Although it appeared simple, the import is very vital for the survival of the church of God.
Brotherly Love – the coinage is certainly peculiar only to the Christian fold. Love has been an essential part of the gospel, in fact, the gospel is a message of love. Christ said it would be an evidence or proof that we are God’s children and a proof that He is the Christ.
While love has found expressions in many languages, songs and relationship, it has found power and inspiration among those in the brotherhood of Christ. Paul in writing to the Philippians said, “For God is my record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:8. Paul had an experience with true brethren and an experience of brotherly love. His mind, here expressed, showed he had a longing for the saints in Philippi.
Christ himself created that brotherhood. It is founded on love. It is a fraternity of those who share a common experience of salvation; it is the experience of those who are keeping the commandments of God, bearing fruits to the glory of God – “One Lord, one Faith, One Baptism.”
Jesus Christ gave an insight into that family when he was told of His earthly brethren seeking him. His response: “Behold my mother and my brethren, for whosoever shall do the will of my father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, sister and mother.” – Mathew 12:49-50. Without trying to undermine his earthly family members, Christ gave a lucid picture of the importance of the family of God.
Love binding hearts to hearts lifts the family of God well above our earthly families. This love exists in the hearts of all the obedient children of God. It is hot and unbreakable. Once you are in the family, you possess it if you must continue to remain within. Just as those who were born of the same parents can be called brothers or sisters or brethren, so those who are “born of the Spirit” are called brethren. The love existing among them is thus called “brotherly love.”
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you,” Ephesians 4:32. “Speaking the truth in love,” Ephesians 4:15. “Distributing to the necessity of the saints, giving to hospitality,” Romans 12:13. Brotherly love demands that we watch over one another so that we may be strengthened to carry on in the battle against the world of sin.
There is no other place in the Bible where brotherly love was greatly portrayed than in the lives of the early disciples. We read in Acts 2:44, “And all that believe were together, and had all things common.” As they got themselves washed in the blood of Christ, they turned their hearts to worship the Lord. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers,” verse 42.
They also sold their possessions and distributed them as every man had need. They were also in “one accord,” “breaking bread from house to house,” ate “their meat with singleness of heart.”
These astounding characteristics of the early church created an ambience of power and holiness which in turn created fear among those outside the fold…yet the ground was fertile enough to draw souls to be added to the church “daily” as they were being saved, verse 46 and 47.
Where is the love of God we once enjoyed? I recall the traffic of letters to encourage and to challenge new converts(then we had no internet or emails). Brethren loved to travel distances to visit their fellow Christian soldiers in different locations. We enjoyed great testimonies of how people found the truth and we longed to see them face to face. When brethren visited, we could not bear to see them depart. Where is the love of God!
As the battle gets fiercer and hotter, the church must now strengthen her walls through the instrumentality of brotherly love. It will stimulate zeal and create an environment conducive for spiritual development. It will encourage commitment and brace the arm of the hard-fighting soldier on the spiritual battle field.
The church must also radiate love to the world. She cannot afford to be lacking in this.
Paul the apostle simply admonished, “Let brotherly continue.” This love must continue! It must continue, not in words, not just in precepts, but indeed, reality, action and life. In caring for one another, in intercession, in fairness and meekness, in humility and in respect.
(This article was first published in the September 2004 edition of the Rays of Truth magazine).