Love of the Brothers

Just got off the phone with Nate as we coordinate ministry matters today. Nate did another awesome job at youth group last night as God has called together a great core group of kids. Nate and I then got to talk for a bit and share ministry joys and concerns as well as continuing to stay in touch as far as the forward direction we see God taking us in as a church.

I so enjoy my relationship with Nate as well as with the men on the Board of Deacons. It is so vital to work at and maintain love relationships between Christians.

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 1:22 NIV)

I love this verse because there is so much in it. You have the basis of the love: obeying the truth, God's Word. I meet people who talk a lot about God's word, mention God a lot, love to praise Him, but then ignore so much of what the Bible really says, instead making Jesus into their own image. This can look very spiritual but is actually what the Bible calls "having a form of Godliness but denying its power." When we are really obeying the truth; reconciliation, forgiveness, humility, repentance, then we are ready for the next step in that verse; sincere love for your brothers (which would mean sisters too). Then that sincere love goes to another step, loving deeply.

The first love mentioned is philadelphia or brotherly love, the second love is agape or unconditional love. So, as we are purified by the truth, we are first warm and loving to our brothers and then we build on that to a deep and unconditional love.

There are two final elements I want to mention from this verse. First, the brotherly love is described as sincere. The greek word means, without faking it. This can be tough. Sometimes you see people who are very nice to you when they have to speak to you, but are just putting on a polite or "christian" act. Once you are away from them, that love they expressed will not be in evidence. Sincere means that we push ourselves to actually treat our brothers with love, not just when they are in front of us. It must be sincere. The second element is the phrase attached to agape love, "from the heart." This is the deepening of "sincere." The greek word, "kardia" referred to the center or middle of thought and emotion. That is hard too. It is not a grudging, "I should be nice to them." It is a decision, pointed at the center of your being, to really care, to put them first.

As I said at the beginning, I am so thankful for my relationship with Nate and the rest of the Board. No matter what, we work to have a sincere, from the heart, love for each other. I am encouraged and strengthened by their love and support back to me. It makes the good times that much sweeter and it makes the hard times that much easier. May I always keep my heart focused on the truth and push myself to make sure my love is sincere, deep, and from the heart.