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One Another Commands Sunday School WHEELERSBURG BAPTIST CHURCH Life Application Sunday School Class One Anothers - Session 4 December 21, 2003 Read Romans 12:9-16 (NASB)
Today we are only going to consider part of one verse,
Romans 12:10a. It is translated in the KJV as Be kindly affectioned one to
another with brotherly love, and in the NIV as Be
devoted to one another in brotherly love,
kindly affectioned – PHILOSTORGOS, tenderly loving (from philos, friendly, storge, love of kindred, especially of parents for children and children for parents;) Fond of natural relatives. Romans 12:10 is the only place this word is used in a positive sense. It is used in two other passages in a negative sense: ASTORGOS – KJV without natural affection. One is Romans 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:, and the other is 2 Timothy 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
The affection addressed in this passage is like the love that a mother has for her child; a natural affection that God has placed in families for each other. This affection is what we are to have toward each other in the church; the same type of affection shown in family relationships. People who are given over to hardness become lovers of themselves (2 Timothy 3:1) to the place that they no longer retain this natural affection, even for their family. 2. What is brotherly love? brotherly love – PHILADELPHOS, fond of one’s brethern (from phileo, to love, and adelphos, a community based on identity of origin. Brotherly love is based on the fact that we have the same Father. The binding force is the Father’s love shown to us in His Son. This is what enable us to have this affections and care for one another – in fact – this is what produces it. Although this love is present in every true believer, we must be admonished and encouraged to express it: I Thess 4:9-10 – Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. I Pet 1:22 – Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. II Pet 1:7 .. and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. I Pet 2:17 – love the brotherhood of believers I Pet 3:8 – live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Heb 13:1 – Keep
on loving each other as brothers. 3. What is relationship of love and our identification as believers? This love that we have for one another is what identifies us as followers of Christ. Just as members of the same family have resemblance (eg Kirkadahls), true members of the family of God have this mark of brotherly love. This is how the outside world knows that we belong to Christ. John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Love is the manifestation, or revealing of the righteousness within. Just as an unrighteous heart is revealed in actions and words of selfishness and hatred, so a righteous heart is reveals in acts of kindness, selflessness, and love. 1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 4. How do we express this brotherly love? This love is manifested in meeting practical needs in our brothers and sisters lives. Biblical love is not just merely a gushy feeling. It is always tied to action and words. 1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. James 2:14 What doth it
profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can
faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;
notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body;
what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
alone. APPLICATION QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 5. What are some needs that
we can meet in each others lives? 7. What is something that you can do this week to express brotherly love and devotion?
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