Love of the Brethren

[stephen]

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.
1 Peter 1 v 22

Some translations give it love "sincerely" that is without dissimulation, without feigning. Love sincerely from the heart. This appeal as you can see is for the love of the brethren.

But there is a twofold obligation here......."Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth, for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart" RSV

You have love in two senses here; .......it is interesting to notice that the word 'love' mentioned twice, in the same text here, and is the same word in English text......but not the same word in the Greek text.

In the first mention of the word...... 'love' = 'philia' ....this is the love of attachment, of congeliality.

But the second mention...."love one another earnestly" the word for love here, is not particularly emotional, the word for love here is 'agape' This is the word for supernatural goodwill; God's kind of goodwill....not philia natural, but agape supernatural.

We enjoy to settle in Christian circles for love as philia. How easy it is to love the folks who love you, and attach to them......You and the other party.....the other party and you......Easy

When we get at sixes and sevens in Christian community, failing to demonstrate the unity of Christ, .....is failing to remember that there is agape love, .....as well as philia. And agape comes in as a supernatural gift of God in your life, to deal with that person who is so terribly awkward, and whom you would not naturally like at all.

Meeting such, it is love as agape that helps you to maintain goodwill, to put up with their rudeness and their crudeness and their difficult personalities, and for His sake, and through that gift which is yours by the Holy Ghost, go on loving them

Amen.......

 

[Coconut]

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.
1 Peter 1 v 22

I think at the root of our failing to have 'agape' love is a lack of obedience to the truth. What truth? The writer explains ...


1Pe 1:10 Even the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours, carefully researched and investigated this salvation.
1Pe 1:11 They tried to find out what era or specific time the Spirit of Christ in them kept referring to when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
1Pe 1:12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you in regard to the things that have now been announced to you by those who brought you the good news through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. These are things that even the angels desire to look into.
1Pe 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep a clear head, and set your hope completely on the grace [HIS grace, not yours, not mine] to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, do not be shaped by the desires that you once had in your ignorance.
1Pe 1:15 Instead, just as the one who called you is holy, be holy in every aspect of your life.
1Pe 1:16 For it is written, "You must be holy, because I am holy."
1Pe 1:17 If you call "Father" the one who judges everyone impartially according to what he has done, you must live in the reverance of the Lord as long as you are strangers here.
1Pe 1:18 For you know that it was not with perishable things like silver or gold that you have been ransomed from the worthless way of life[look what I have, or what I have done] handed down to you by your ancestors,
1Pe 1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or defect.
1Pe 1:20 On the one hand, he was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but on the other hand, he was revealed at the end of time for your sake.
1Pe 1:21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.
1Pe 1:22 Now that you have obeyed the truth and have purified your souls to love your brothers sincerely, you must love one another intensely and with a pure heart.

The writer sits us down and talks to us here, as a Father would with his children. He tells us the "truth." We are a family, and if we are going to have the kind of fellowship with one another, the Father wants us to have, or if we are going to 'serve one another' we must get it out of our hearts and minds that we can do something to get us into Fathers good graces, or that we are any better, in any way, than our brothers and sisters. "Father judges everyone impartially." [Talk about a lesson on the heart of spiritual family dynamics here!]

Agape love can only be the result of a revelation we have no grace but His, and looking to the Father. Only His grace can produce this sincere, intense, and pure hearted love...left to our own, our hearts are capable of only a carnal self-serving love that falls far short of amazing.

"It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you in regard to the things that have now been announced to you by those who brought you the good news through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven."