Developing Spiritual Growth Spring 2006 Pastor Marvin McKenzie Lesson 07

Review  Faith is the foundation Without this it is impossible to please God  Add to faith Virtue All that is good Manliness Fulfilling one’s purpose  Add to those Knowledge Of God Of His Word Of His Service

Review  Add to that Temperance  Add to that Patience and  Add to Patience godliness  Add to godliness…..

Brotherly kindness 1. This development has an inward focus as evidenced by...  Faith  Virtue  Knowledge  Temperance  Patience 2. It also has an upward focus...  Godliness 3. Then there is the outward focus...  Brotherly kindness  Charity

THE DEFINITION OF BROTHERLY KINDNESS  The Greek word is Philadelphia  It literally means " the love of brothers ”

THE DEFINITION OF BROTHERLY KINDNESS  Heb 13:1  Let brotherly love continue. (KJV)  1Thes 4:9-10  But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; (KJV)  1 Pet 1:22  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: (KJV)  Rom 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; (KJV) It is brotherly kindness; that provides a family unity in our church.

THE DEMAND OF BROTHERLY KINDNESS  A. Necessary to know God...  Without sincere love for brethren, any claim to know God or love Him is impossible –  I John 4:7-8 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. (KJV)  I John 4:20-21 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (KJV) B. Necessary to be Jesus' disciples... Jesus made love for brethren an identifying mark by which the world can know we are His disciples – John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (KJV) C. Necessary to answer Jesus' prayer for unity... Unity among brethren is also very important, as indicated in the prayer of Jesus – John 17:20-23 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (KJV)

THE DEVELOPMENT OF BROTHERLY KINDNESS  A. Requires purity of soul...  1 Pet 1:22-23  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:Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (KJV) B. Requires being taught by God... 1Thes 4:9-10 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; (KJV) The Father teaches the meaning of love through the giving of His Son – I Jn 4:9-10 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.(KJV) The Son demonstrates true love by the example of His sacrifice – I Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (KJV) C. Requires spending time with brethren... This I have gleaned from personal experience The more I am around people... The more I come to know them personally... The more I share experiences with them (both good and bad) The easier I find it to "fall in love" with them! It is not much different than with one's own physical family I had no choice who my physical brothers and sisters would be But as we experience life together our love and appreciation for one another deepens

THE DEVELOPMENT OF BROTHERLY KINDNESS  D. Requires praying for brethren...  1. This also is gleaned from personal experience  2. Pray fervently for your brethren, especially those with whom you may have a personality clash  3. It is hard to remain angry or maintain a strong dislike for someone when you spend time praying for them

THE DISPLAY OF BROTHERLY KINDNESS  A. As it affects our attitude toward brethren...  1. Brotherly kindness will lead one to be considerate  a. A brother who is strong will be considerate of his weak brother –  Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. (KJV)  b. Where a brother may have liberty in Christ, he is willing to limit that freedom if it is beneficial to the spiritual well-being of his brother –  1 Cor 8:13  Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. (KJV)  Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. (KJV) 2. Brotherly kindness that will lead one to be cautious About what they say about them – James 4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, …… (KJV) About judging a brother – James 4:11-12 ….., and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? (KJV) B. As it affects our service toward brethren... Brotherly kindness will lead us to truly care for one another 1Thes 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. (KJV) To warn the unruly, To comfort the faint-hearted To uphold the weak, To be patient with all Brotherly kindness will prompt us to pursue the right things Rom 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. (KJV) Things that make for peace Things by which we may edify one another