BROTHERLY LOVE

 

 

Brotherly love is an essential part of the Christian life. The apostle Peter wrote: “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. (1 Peter 1:22)

 

In this passage Peter tells us three things about brotherly love. First, it is the natural outgrowth of obedience to the truth. He said that we have obeyed the truth “unto unfeigned love of the brethren.” Second, he tell us that our love for one another must be real – not mere pretense. He calls it “unfeigned love,” that is, not hypocritical. The Greek word from which “unfeigned” is translated literally means “not an actor.” Our love for one another must never be mere playacting. Third, Peter tells us that our love must be with feeling. He said, “Love one another with a pure heart fervently.” There is no room in the Christian religion for a listless love. Our love for one another must be intense, fervent, forceful. It comes from the heart.

 Claude