Brotherly Love

 Over the years I have run into people, even Christians, who have a very flawed understanding of  relationships and brotherly love. I have actually heard Christians say, "If you scratch my back, I will scratch yours." It made my stomach sick to hear one of our deacons at my first pastorate say that in front of other people. That understanding of love is totally unbiblical and wrong in every way.

The Lord has made that very clear to us. (Romans 12:10) We are commanded to be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. Isn't that very clear? We are not to be nice to another person because they do something nice for us. We are to love each other with brotherly love, putting the needs of the other person first. To do anything less is sin.

When we know a person, whether we have a close relationship or not, we are to be affectionate toward them. It is not talking about a physical affection. It is talking about caring for the other person and being kind to them, so that we strive to be nice and to meet their needs, no matter what they do for us. Just think how much better all of our relationships would be, if we would just follow this command.

God created brotherly love, relational love because He knew we need to have close relationships, and He knew how hard it is to have good, close relationships. He knew that if we were self-centered and looking out for what we could get out of a relationship, we would not really care for the other person. We would just use them. Instead, we are to honor them by giving them preference over what we want. Brotherly love is God's will, and His way to meet our needs and the needs of other people, without being selfish. 

#NHBaptistdotorg

Tomorrow, I intend to read Romans 13-15.