(2 Peter 1:1) Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: (2) Grace and peacebe multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, (3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) Whereby are given unto us exceedinggreat and precious promises: that by these ye might bepartakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to yourfaith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; (6) And toknowledgetemperance; and to temperance patience; and topatiencegodliness; (7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and tobrotherly kindness charity. (8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Classical Greek and Septuagint Usage
In its earliest appearances philadelphia denotes the love for blood brothers, sisters, and other family members (Bauer). This use predominates in classical sources and also in the Septuagint where philadelphia occurs three times, but only in the Apocrypha (4 Maccabees 13:23,26; 14:1). Moulton-Milligan indicates that secular documents of New Testament times share this meaning of “the love of those who are brothers by common descent . . . and . . . of kindness to sisters.”
New Testament Usage
In the New Testament the definition extends to those who are brothers and sisters in the Christian faith, those who have entered the family of God. This spiritual “brotherly love” is commanded (Romans 12:10; Hebrews 13:1) and must be genuine rather than counterfeit (1 Peter 1:22). Philadelphia is a virtue that Christians must cultivate (2 Peter 1:7). In either its literal or figurative sense, then, philadelphia emphasizes a loving relationship among people closely connected, whether by kinship or by faith.Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary, The - The Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary – Sigma-Omega.
Doesn't it make sense that fellow Christians, of one faith, one God, one Lord, one baptism (Spirit), one hope of our calling, one common salvation in the ONE and ONLY SAVIOR should share "brotherly love" one for another. After all, we are forgiven and forgiving! We are not our own, but His! Do we see this kind of brotherly love between Christians? Do we see it among preachers? Do we see it among denominations?
I had a young preacher call me the other day who is a member of an Independent Baptist Church. He was asked to "fill in" at a Free Will Baptist Church. His "pastor" approved of his filling in, but when the church ask him to be their pastor (without converting to Free Will and without changing his doctrine of "eternal security"), his pastor informed him that if he took the position, he would be breaking fellowship with his "church". My response was, "Were you ordained to the Gospel Ministry or to the Independent Baptist Ministry?" This kind of non-sense makes my blood boil, that we are more concerned about our divisive petty denominational or independent doctrines that we oust a man of God who is doing a good work or a local church for having a man of God who has no intent but to win people to Jesus and build a local assembly. IS THAT BROTHERLY LOVE? NO WAY! It is counterfeit!!!!
In the name of "love" and "peace" we let that kind of stuff go unchecked. I love the CHURCH, WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST, but it does not mean that I love heresy, false teaching of any kind, disobedience, misinterpretation of the TRUTH or misrepresentation of it either. We have the God given authority to stand up and speak up about such foolishness. IF YOU ARE ORDAINED - YOU WERE ORDAINED TO THE GOSPEL MINISTRY! Brotherly love is eternal, encouraging, and edifying. Otherwise, it is COUNTERFEIT and CONDITIONAL!
BLESSINGS!
Doesn't it make sense that fellow Christians, of one faith, one God, one Lord, one baptism (Spirit), one hope of our calling, one common salvation in the ONE and ONLY SAVIOR should share "brotherly love" one for another. After all, we are forgiven and forgiving! We are not our own, but His! Do we see this kind of brotherly love between Christians? Do we see it among preachers? Do we see it among denominations?
I had a young preacher call me the other day who is a member of an Independent Baptist Church. He was asked to "fill in" at a Free Will Baptist Church. His "pastor" approved of his filling in, but when the church ask him to be their pastor (without converting to Free Will and without changing his doctrine of "eternal security"), his pastor informed him that if he took the position, he would be breaking fellowship with his "church". My response was, "Were you ordained to the Gospel Ministry or to the Independent Baptist Ministry?" This kind of non-sense makes my blood boil, that we are more concerned about our divisive petty denominational or independent doctrines that we oust a man of God who is doing a good work or a local church for having a man of God who has no intent but to win people to Jesus and build a local assembly. IS THAT BROTHERLY LOVE? NO WAY! It is counterfeit!!!!
In the name of "love" and "peace" we let that kind of stuff go unchecked. I love the CHURCH, WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST, but it does not mean that I love heresy, false teaching of any kind, disobedience, misinterpretation of the TRUTH or misrepresentation of it either. We have the God given authority to stand up and speak up about such foolishness. IF YOU ARE ORDAINED - YOU WERE ORDAINED TO THE GOSPEL MINISTRY! Brotherly love is eternal, encouraging, and edifying. Otherwise, it is COUNTERFEIT and CONDITIONAL!
BLESSINGS!
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