Love is contagious — the proportion, intensity and reverence of our love for God determine the measure of love that we are able to share with others in the body of Christ. As we grow in our love with Christ and for him, so we are inspire to share and give part of that love to his and our brethren: much more, with our enemies, for we are commanded not to be overcome with evil, but to overcome evil with good which is only possible through the heart of love which does no evil to his neighbor. Every believer is God’s vineyard. In this garden has been planted the tree of God’s joy, peace, goodness and love which is shed abroad into our hearts by the Holy Ghost to yield and produces fruit in his season. The first and best fruit is love. In God’s kingdom, love is the foremost and the bond of perfection because God is love.
Love brings us into his kingdom– for God so Love the world that he gave his only begotten Son – God demonstrated his love toward us, in that while we are yet sinners, Christ died for us.…Love is the greatest and everything must be done or motivated by love: if not, it’s not acceptable before God.1 Corinthians 13: 1 – 3 and 13. 1 Corinthians 16; 13 – 14.
We must strive to imitate our dear heavenly Father and Christ who does everything out of his love to redeem us (Isaiah 63:9) to correct and chastens us when we err (Proverbs 3;12. Hebrews 12; 6. Revelation 3; 19) loving us continually and unfailingly for love does not fail (Jeremiah 31; 3).
We also want to walk in the nature of God’s love which does not have respects of person –This love deals with speaking the truth as it is among others – he that speaks truth shows forth righteousness in equal and just dealings and justice. Speaking the truth in love–This is a very serious matter as not many people love to be rebuke and correct in a free world, yet we must strive to resemble the heavenly Father of truth without iniquity, by calling spade a spade, light a light, and darkness a darkness, for we must not hold the truth from people in and around us, lest we be found guilty of their blood–not holding the truth in unrighteousness–not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully. Our business is just to pleased God in everything and do the right thing all the times to have a conscience void of offense towards God and man.1 Timothy 5; 20 – 21. James 2; 8 – 9. 2 Samuel 23; 3. Leviticus 19;15. Proverbs 26; 28. Proverbs 29; 5. Ephesians 4; 15.
The love of the brethren must be from a pure heart which has nothing to do with seduction, manipulation, deceit and promiscuity in the church among the brethren. Sleeping or committing fornication with fellow believer in casual sex is like spiritual incest and folly for both are bought by the blood of Jesus and are of the same body — the younger must be consider as sister, with all purity. In Philippians chapter 1, verses 9 – 11, apostle Paul pray that your love may abound (increase or growing) yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that you may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God: while in 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 3, he says we are bound to thank God for you, brethren, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth. . 1 Peter 1; 22– 23. Ephesians 5; 1 – 6. 1 Timothy 5; 1 – 2. Proverbs 22;11. Romans 14; 11 – 15.
3 principles and the keys to increase in brotherly love.
- Overcoming the spirit of high self-estimation (Pride)
With the presence of this demonic spirit in the church, where we ought to consider other better than ourselves, there can be no growth in brotherly love. When others feels that they are looked down upon and regarded as non – spiritual or non-essential in a place where those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble are necessary: and those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable upon whom we should bestow more abundant honor are despised: then shall there shall be contempt and malice in the place of single mindedness: and hatred in the place of love.
We are all brethren and the greatest among us should be the servant of all. Worldly mentality of class and rank should not be found in the local church if we expect to grow in brotherly love: if a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing he deceives himself. I am better than thou spirit should not be found in the church, if we are to be kindly affectionate one to another in brotherly love, in honor preferring one another; or in order word as apostle Paul put it in Philippians 2 verse 3, let each esteem other better than themselves….in these things can Christ love flourishes among the brethren in the local church and universal body of Christ. Philippians 2;3. Romans 12; verses10 and 16. 1 Corinthians 4; 6 – 7. - Overcoming selfish mind and stinginess (self-centeredness)
You cannot separate love from giving. True love is not in word but indeed. The examples from the early church should be enough for us to learn as they do all things in common and none proclaimed his own what belongs to him. People should look out for one another, if you sow love, you shall reap the same, for man that has friend, must show himself friendly – we are all our brother’s keeper. When we turn to be our brother’s keeper our love is becoming Christ love in the confidence and boldness that we are building for us against the day of judgment that as he is in the world, even so are we –love. Good work is an obligation for a true child of God, to the grateful and the ungrateful, good or bad, righteous or sinners as we have opportunity. We should not be weary from doing good. If you stop for discouragements and criticism or ungratefulness, it also becomes a sin–to him that knows how to do good and does not do it, is sin.1 John 3; 17 – 19.
We are living in a church world today that if you can’t make it on your own, bring money to the church, wear a gay clothing, you are not consider as a good member of that assembly! Hardly can we find a true bear ye one another burden of Christ church today (though there are, but very few.) Nobody wants the blind Bartholomew or Lazarus the beggar as a member, but everybody want the great Shunamite woman or Cornelius which give much alms to the people as members. We are in a church age that pastors are embezzling the church funds and vanishing away or diverting the major parts of the funds for his selfish end gain and use while some church members are losing house because they lost their jobs and cannot meet up with bills. As the result of financial greediness and selfishness of the pastor and its board of trustee, the church is scattered, broken and divided. What do you do in such a situation? Do you get offended and walk away from Christ? You cannot and must not do that, for blessed is he that shall not be offended in him. - Possessing the spirit of servant–hood.
You can see true love in the spirit of self-denial. We are commanded to serve one another in love, just like our Lord and Savior Jesus put on him the form of a servant, humbled himself to serve us in love till death. Christ washed the feet of his disciples for a pattern of an humbled life as we bring ourselves down to render service to the lowest and the unpopular among us, for the encouragement and continuation of brotherly love. God resist the proud and the greatest according to God is not the man sitting on the front row because of his worldly personality and popularity; but that man and woman, sweeping the floor, keeping the gate and conducting orderliness and other insignificant work in the house of God.
If no one is sitting as chief in the local church but all have the mind to serve one another in love (even though we must esteem some highly in love for their works sake) brotherly love shall continue and increase in the unity of spirit among the brethren. Matthew 23; 8 – 12. Galatians 5; 13 – 15. John 13; 12 – 17. 1 Peter 5; 1– 5.