Loving one Another

Romans 12:10-13

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

I’ve often heard people say that a person is as dear to them as their own brother or sister, and I believe that is brotherly affection!  Have you given thought to what is being declared about brotherly affection, it is not based on conditions, it is not built on “if you ____, I will love you” it is deeper than that, in fact it overlooks shortcomings and mistakes.  So where can one find such love?  Look with me in the writing of the second letter of Peter the apostle of Jesus Christ.  This is really something, so lets go have some fun, and ponder on “Loving one another with brotherly affection.”

Peter’s greeting to you and me; “Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”  Amazing, Peter is stating the ground at the Cross-is level, and we should have the same expectation as Peter to become like Jesus, a servant to all.

It is clear the church often has two books on the shelf; the Bible and a book called “I did it my way” and let me ask this question, how is that working?  As a young child we sang a song; “One way and only one and yet the ways are two, I’m on the Lord’s side, on which side are you?”  Though I sang the song with such gusto as a child, I soon picked-up the book “I did it my way” and even today that book is still on the shelf of my life, the other book is called flesh.  Getting my needs met outside of Jesus Christ!

But the Bible gives insight into a way to find pure joy in being a servant of Jesus Christ, and it is not found in that book on “I did it my way,” in fact there is a vast expanse between the two ways of living life on planet earth.  One is full of greed and fear, in the other you will find love, joy, and peace, and it is going to require a death to one or the other.

The servant Peter shares the following with us; “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Jesus’ grace is made perfect in our weakness, so by His grace give up on the world’s model of success, and find that when you are weak, God’s divine power will come like a tornado into your relationships.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice