To Your Godliness Brotherly Kindness

Brotherly Kindness
From a lesson by Alan Hitchen
2 Peter 1:5-7
"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love"

To Godliness, Brotherly Kindness

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. 10 "And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious." Isa 11:6-10

The above prophesy describes how things will be in the Messiah’s kingdom. Since it obviously has not had a literal fulfillment, we must look for a spiritual one. Who are these wolves, leopards young lions, bears, lions, cobra’s and viper’s? Jesus likens false teachers to wolves (Mt 7:15) and the wicked in the world are also called wolves (Mt 10:16). Paul warns the elders at Ephesus that after his departure savage wolves will come in among them. (Acts 20:29-30). From these Scriptures it is clear that God is speaking of the characteristics of men before they enter the kingdom of God. As one ponders the lists of the wicked things men do.

No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Cor 6:8-13

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 2 Tim 3:1-5

With these warnings about others, we need to look at ourselves. These are not the only passages that describe such things. Gal 5:16-23 contrasts the works of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit. Just before he started though he said this:

But, if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! Gal 5:15

It is evident that this prophecy is going to take some work on our part to fulfill! The divine and human elements here merge with Jesus command, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matt 6:10.

It is with this as background, that the importance of the quality listed in the title above becomes so important.

"PHILADELPHIA... the love of brothers or sisters), brotherly love,... in the N. T. the love which Christians cherish for each other as `brethren' (see ADELPHOS, 4)

ADELPHOS... 4 a fellow-believer, united to another by the bond of affection; so most frequently of Christians, constituting as it were but a single family:... "p. 11

There is a great claim upon us which binds us together as such brothers and sisters. It is our common brotherhood under God as our spiritual Father and Jesus as our older brother. When a person is baptized into Christ he is once again added to the spiritual family of God who accepts the universal reign of God and no longer seeks to live in rebellion. Heb 2:10-13; I Tim 3:15; Gal 4:4-6; Rom 8:15-17.

Those who are our true brothers and sisters in Christ are a special and wonderful group of people who hold a relationship toward us which no other group could possibly have. We are all washed in the blood of Jesus, we are all destined to spend our eternity with God in heaven, we all share common temptations, common goals, common promises, the same father, the same Saviour, the same beliefs, the same enemy, the same language and all reverence the same truths.

All of this is set forth in the following descriptions and commands:

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, I Pet 1:22-23.

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. I Pet 4:7-9.

Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also. Heb 13:1-3.

But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; I Th 4:9-10.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Rom 12:9-13.

The church is the family of God. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to work on our attitudes until we look at God as our father and all God's children as our family. A family has natural bonds that tie them together. They naturally feel close to each other because they have gone through so many things together. This is what must be sought after within the church. We have common goals, desires, and troubles. If we allow it to, this common heritage will draw us closer.

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