Brotherly Love

“What is this love?

I answer briefly,

It is a fruit of the Spirit of God, an effect of faith, whereby believers, being knit together by the strongest bonds of affection, upon the account of their interest in one head, Jesus Christ, and participating of one Spirit, do delight in, value, and esteem each other, and are in a constant readiness for all those regular duties whereby the temporal, spiritual, and eternal good of one another
may be promoted.”— John Owen

“Maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”—Ephesians 4:16

"How can one who loves the Lord Jesus in sincerity choose but to love all saints, though of different persuasions, since, notwithstanding that difference, they are all so dear to Him that He gave His life as a ransom for them all? The blood of God was shed for every one of them that there might be a price paid sufficient for their redemption…The Apostle Peter gives this charge in 1 Peter 4:8: “Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves.” Gifts, though excellent, may be abused and perversely employed to instill error and rend the Church of God. Knowledge, if it is alone, will not profit, but will puff up him who has it. But “charity edifieth” (1Co 8:1). Love is greatly beneficial. Its acts are pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy and good fruits. [It is]against the very nature of it to work ill to any…The grounds and attractions of this love are spiritual; and this is the kind of love of which our primary text speaks. Christian hearts should be filled with it. The more this is expressed,the more the Church must be edified." - Nathaniel Vincent (1638-1697)

"I do not hesitate, therefore, to say that the ultimate test of our profession of the Christian faith is, I believe, this whole question of our loving one another.

Indeed, I do not hesitate to aver that it is a more vital test than our orthodoxy. I am the last man in the world to say anything against orthodoxy, but I am here to say that it is not the final test. Orthodoxy is essential. This epistle [1 John]shows that repeatedly…We must believe the right things. Apart from that, we have nothing at all; and we have no standing whatsoever. So the correctness of belief is essential. And yet I say that when we come to the realm of experience and self–examination, the test of orthodoxy is not the ultimate test.

Conduct is essential and important. Yet the fact that men and women live good, moral, and highly ethical lives does not prove that they are Christians. The ultimate test of our whole position is this question of love. Do we possess the love of which the Apostle is here speaking?

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not,knoweth not God; for God is love.”—1 John 4:7-8

What is this love?

Well, it is generally agreed that it has reference to Christian people. John is not talking about people who are not Christians. He is here emphasizing this one thing to those who claim to be Christians, to those within the faith. And this evidently is an exhortation that is necessary. What does he mean when he exhorts and pleads with us to “love one another”? I cannot think of a better way of putting it than simply to say that we are to be manifesting in our lives with one another, and in our attitude towards one another, everything that we read about love in 1 Corinthians 13. We are not to be puffed up; we are not to be easily provoked; we are not to think evil; we are not to rejoice in evil about others; we are to hope for all things and to hope for the best in other people.

I am afraid that as we read those words together, we all feel condemned. Loving one another is to love like that,
and not only those whom we happen to like, but even those whom we dislike. That is the test of the Christian. You
remember how our Lord put it in the Sermon on the Mount. He said, “For if ye love them which love you, what
reward have ye?” (Mat 5:46). That is not difficult—anybody can do that—natural love does that. But the whole test
of the Christian is to love the difficult person and to manifest 1 Corinthians 13 with the trying person.

“But I thought you said,” says someone, “that this is only applicable to Christian brethren?” Yes, it is. But, alas, we
all know that though we are Christians we are not perfect. There are things about all of us that irritate others. God,
forgive us for it. There are things that should not belong to us, but they are there, and this calls for patience in others.It calls for sympathy. It calls for understanding. That is what John is pleading for at this point. He is asking these people to do all they can to help one another, to bear with one another, not to be antagonistic, not to become irritated. If you see your brother at fault, be patient with him, pray for him, try to help him, be sorry for him,instead of feeling it is something that is hurting you. See it as something that is hurting him terribly and doing him great harm and robbing him of so much joy in his Christian life." - David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981)

"But there is one other serious hindrance to the continuance of brotherly love that we will notice in a little more detail.

Namely, impatience. By impatience, we mean a lack of forbearance. True brotherly love is a reflection of God’s
love for us. He loves His people not for their native attractiveness, but for Christ’s sake. Therefore, [He loves] them in spite of their ugliness and vileness. God is “longsuffering to us-ward” (2 Pet 3:9), bearing with our crookedness,pardoning our iniquities, healing our diseases, and His word to us is, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, and walk in love” (Eph 5:1-2). We are to love the saints for what we can see of Christ in them, yes, love them and for that reason—in spite of all their ignorance, perverseness, ill temper, obstinacy, fretfulness. It is the image of God in them—not their wealth, amiability, social position—that is the magnet that attracts a renewed heart toward them.

“Forbearing one another in love” (Eph 4:2). False love is glad of any specious excuse for throwing off the garb
that sits so loosely and uncomfortably upon it. Ahithophel was glad of a pretext to forsake David, whom he hated
in his heart, although with his mouth he continued to show much love (2 Sam. 15-17).

“Forbearing one another in love.” That love which a little silence or neglect can destroy never came from God; that love that a few blasts of malice from the lips of a new acquaintance will wither is not worth possessing! Remember, dear brother, God suffers our love for one another to be tried and tested—as He does our faith—or there would be no need for this exhortation “forbearing one another in love.”

The most spiritual Christian on earth is full of infirmities, and the best way of enduring them is to remind yourself frequently and honestly that you also are full of faults and failings.

"But there is one other serious hindrance to the continuance of brotherly love that we will notice in a little more detail. Namely, impatience. By impatience, we mean a lack of forbearance. True brotherly love is a reflection of God’s love for us. He loves His people not for their native attractiveness, but for Christ’s sake. Therefore, [He loves] them in spite of their ugliness and vileness. God is “longsuffering to us-ward” (2 Pet 3:9), bearing with our crookedness,pardoning our iniquities, healing our diseases, and His word to us is, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, and walk in love” (Eph 5:1-2). We are to love the saints for what we can see of Christ in them, yes, love them and for that reason—in spite of all their ignorance, perverseness, ill temper, obstinacy, fretfulness. It is the image of God in them—not their wealth, amiability, social position—that is the magnet that attracts a renewed heart toward them.

amen

I'm not sure this is right that we should love our brothers for what we see of Christ in them. God loved us not for what he saw in us and it is his love that has been shed abroad in our hearts.

Since we are not God, we cannot suppose we can love on a capacity equal to His.

But, any love we do have does come from Him.

THERE are some people whom it is not hard to love and to whom it is quite easy to be kindly affectioned.They are congenial and to our taste. We are drawn to them by their amiable qualities or charming manners;or their treatment of us is so kind and generous as to win our affection. It is easy to love such.

But there are others to whom we are not thus naturally attracted. They are not congenial—perhaps not amiable.
They have unlovely or disagreeable traits. Certain faults mar the beauty of their characters, or they treat us rudely
and unkindly. It is by no means easy for us to bear ourselves toward such with all of love’s patience, gentleness,thoughtfulness, and helpfulness. Yet it is this that is required of those who would walk in the footsteps of the Lord.Sinners love those who love them. Sinners do good to those who do good to them. Sinners lend to those of whom they hope to receive again. But we are to do more. We are to love our enemies. We are not to select from the mass
about us a few to whom the law of love is to be applied. We are to have our special friends, just as Jesus had, to whom our hearts and lives may turn for that deep companionship that all pure and true souls crave. But, like Him also, we are to love all and show to all love’s holiest offices.

The true test of Christian love is in life life’s closer relations. There is a great difference between loving people we never saw—and never shall see—and those with whom we mingle continually in actual contact. There are some
persons whose souls glow with love for the benighted heathen far away who fail utterly in loving their nearest
neighbors or those who jostle against them every day in business and in society. No doubt, it is easier to love
some people at a distance. Distance lends enchantment to many lives, just as a far away rugged landscape may seem charmingly picturesque. We cannot see their faults and blemishes. We are not required to endure their uncongenial
or disagreeable qualities. We do not meet them in the rivalries of business or chafings of social life.

We see nothing of the petty meanness and selfishness that closer association would reveal in them. Our lives are not
impinged upon at any point by theirs, and there can therefore be no friction. If we were brought into close association with them, our interest in them might be lessened. Many men who have been excellent friends while meeting occasionally and in favorable circumstances have ceased to be friends when brought into close contact in the
attritions of daily life. Few characters will bear the microscopic lens.

The law of love, however, is not to be tortured into applications never intended. We are not required to take all
sorts of people into intimate companionship or sacred friendship. There are many from whom we are commanded to separate ourselves. Even among the good, our hearts are permitted to have choice of their affinities. Yet we are to cherish love toward all. In the face of the most repulsive qualities, even under the deepest wrongs, we are still to
maintain and exhibit love in all its tenderness, patience, thoughtfulness, compassion, and helpfulness—not the
love that calls evil good, but the love that desires for others the blessings that we seek for ourselves.

An artist used to say to his pupils, “The end of the day is the proof of the picture.” He meant that the most favorable
time to judge of the excellence of a painting is the twilight hour when there is not light enough to distinguish
details. Then, defects in execution cannot be seen, and the artist’s thought glows in its richest beauty. In like manner,the close of the day of life is the truest time to look at human character. In the noon glare, all men’s faults appear.Jealousies, emulations, and rivalries show us to each other in the heat of clashing, conflicting life in most unfavorable light. We are apt to put the worst construction upon each other’s actions and motives. We see each other through the defective and distorting vision of our own selfishness. All the evil appears magnified, and many of the better things are unperceived or shown in false settings. But when the shadows of the evening of eternity begin to fall upon us, we see each other with the asperities softened and with the blemishes covered by the veil of charity. When the fierce competitions are hushed, we see man in truer light. We do justice then to their virtues and better qualities. Envy and prejudice in us no longer magnify the evil that is in them, while the good shines out in transfigured splendor.

When we sit beside a man’s deathbed, we have no harsh judgments to pronounce. Beauties appear that we had
never observed before; and imperfections fade out in the softening, mellowing glow that streams from the gates of
the eternal world. How kindly we feel toward him in that hour! Can we not learn to look at men always, as we shall
at the close of the day? Then it will be easy to feel and to exhibit toward all that love that never faileth, that thinketh no evil, that hopeth all things.
(J.R.M.(1840-1912)

Such brotherly love as has been described certainly does not negate nor cancel out God's counsel as found here in Proverbs 22:10 and elsewhere.

Prov. 22:10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall end; yes, strife and reproach shall cease.

What the scorner does. It is implied that he sows discord and makes mischief wherever he comes. Much of the strife and contention which disturb the peace of all societies is owing to the evil interpreter (as some read it), that construes every thing into the worst, to those that despise and deride every one that comes in their way and take a pride in bantering and abusing all mankind. 2. What is to be done with the scorner that will not be reclaimed: Cast him out of your society, as Ishmael, when he mocked Isaac, was thrust out of Abraham's family. Those that would secure the peace must exclude the scorner. (M.H.)

Cast out the scorner,.... That makes a mock at sin, a jest at religion, and scoffs at all good men, and everything serious and spiritual; cast such an one out of all company and conversation; out of the family, as mocking Ishmael was cast out of Abraham's family; and out of the church, and all religious societies.

...and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease; which are caused by the scorner, who stirs up contention and strife in all company where he is, in families, and churches; and is continually casting reproach on good men and things; but, when he is cast out, everything of this nature ceases, and peace and love take place.(Gill)

If in a company, a circle of friends, a society, a wicked man is found, who is one by the definition of Prov. 21:24, treats religious questions without respect, moral questions in a frivolous way, serious things jestingly, and in his scornful spirit, his passion for witticism, his love of anecdote, places himself above the duty of showing reverence, veneration, and respect, there will arise ceaseless contentions and conflicts. Such a man one ought to chase away; then there will immediately go forth along with him dispeace , there will then be rest from strife and disgrace, of the strife which such a one draws forth, and the disgrace which it brings on the society, and continually prepares for it. (Keil & Delitzsch)

Brotherly Love: Discerning the Body of Christ. God loves the Body of Christ. It is the Love of God.

Another great enemy to brotherly love is a sectarian spirit spirit. This evil is far more widespread than many suppose.

Alas, how frequently is a spirit of partisanship mistaken for brotherly love: so long as a person “believes our doctrines” and is willing to “join our church,” he is received with open arms. On the other hand, no matter how sound in the faith a man may be, nor how godly his walk, if he refuses to affiliate himself with some particular group of professing Christians, he is looked upon with suspicion and given the cold shoulder. Such things ought not to be.
They betray a very low state of spirituality.

We are far from advocating the entering into familiar fellowship with everyone who claims to be a Christian—
Scripture warns us to “lay hands suddenly on no man” (1Tim. 5:22), for all is not gold that glitters. Perhaps there
never was a day in which empty profession abounded so much as it does now. Yet there is a happy medium between
being taken in by every imposter who comes along and refusing to believe that there are any genuine saints
left upon earth. Surely, a tree may be known by its fruits.

When we meet with one in whom we can discern the image
of Christ, whether that one be a member of our party or not, there should our affections be fixed. “Wherefore
receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God” (Rom 15:7). It is our bounden duty to love
all whom Christ loves. It is utterly vain that we boast of our orthodoxy or of the “light” we have, if brotherly love
be not shown by us to the feeblest member of Christ’s body who crosses our path.