Each of us has areas in our lives where there are specific responsibilities. The Christian life is no different. In chapter 13 of Hebrews, the writer is wrapping up this book. It is almost as if this was his last opportunity to teach them or his last piece of parchment, so he fires out instructions machine gun style, one right after the other. His first one is to let brotherly love continue.
Hebrews 13:1 “Let brotherly love continue.”
As Christians, we are to love all men, but here he gets specific. These are not necessarily blood relatives, but to those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are bound spiritually by the blood of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There ought to be a special affection among the children of God.
Since we know that God has commanded us to have brotherly love, what does brotherly love look like? Throughout the New Testament, we see verses and evidence of how we are to treat one another. In the first Christian church in Acts 2:44-47, we find the first evidence of brotherly love in the church. They had all things in common. Their chief purpose in life was to love God and show that love by loving each other. They sold their belongings to help take care of the needs of the brethren. They worshiped together daily and fellowshipped together daily. They praised God and found favor or approval with the people.
Act 2:44-47 “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
In I Peter 1:22 brotherly love must come from a pure heart, unfeigned which means sincere, and it should be fervent. Love from a pure heart is genuine without hypocrisy. There is no ulterior motive when showing love to the brethren. It is also fervent, which means there is an intensity. It is not a formal cold relationship.
I Peter 1:22 “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.”
In both II Thessalonians 1:3 and II Timothy 1:3, we find gratitude for one another. Those who love the brethren as God commands will be thankful for their brothers and sisters in Christ. They will remember them in their prayers, and it will be often. In Galatians 6:2 we are to bear one another’s burdens. As we are thankful for them and praying for them, we will know their needs and plead to God for comfort, wisdom, and relief from their burdens. What hurts them hurts you.
II Thessalonians 1:3 “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith growth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other abounded;”
II Timothy 1:3 “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day:”
Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
In John 13:34-35 our love for the brethren is a testimony to the world around us. In a world where people are generally inward-focused, where they are taught a “me first” mentality, it is definitely a red flag notification when someone is genuinely outward-focused on others. Sometimes at the expense of their own promotions or well-being. When they see how we treat others in the body of Christ and take care of one another it is attractive and puzzling. They want to know what makes these Christians different. Note, that not all those who name the name of Christ love the brethren the way that the Bible teaches. This makes a genuine Christian even more attractive to the lost. In verse 35 Jesus says all men will know we are His disciples. These Christians are the real deal!
John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another.”
When you have this kind of love for others, I John 3:16 teaches us that we should be willing to lay down our lives for the brethren. Just as Christ laid down His life for us.
I John 3:16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
Now that we have seen the benefits of brotherly love why should we act this way to those in the faith? In I John 3:23 we have the answer. We are commanded to love one another. It is an act of obedience to God, and it has great spiritual benefits for us, the church, and those who are unsaved looking for genuine Christians.
I John 3:23 “And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
