sermonette: Be Kindly Affectionate

Love Toward The Brethren
Martin G. Collins
Given 16-Aug-03; Sermon #626s; 12 minutes

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I was telling the people in Trinidad when I stood up to speak to them that when I looked out into the audience, what I saw was family. I saw children and I saw fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters, and we go to the feast, that's what we see all together. We see family. And it's a wonderful thing that God has provided for us so that we can learn more about his family as well. We see throughout almost 2000 years of Church of God history a special people, the people of God who are scattered throughout the world. And in reference to these special people, the apostle Paul says in Galatians 3:26 to 28, For you are all sons of God throughout faith, or rather through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. We're all one family. We are one in Christ, unified in spirit, marked by Christ's love, produced in us. In examining the principles governing Christian conduct. We find that love is of primary importance. However, it's, if it's not sincere, it's not real love. And these are things that we are very familiar with. We know these, that things are that love is pretense if it's not genuine and if it's not sincere. Remember that Paul paused in his summary of spiritual gifts in I Corinthians to infuse a chapter on love. It is I Corinthians 13. He also did this in Romans 12 following his synopsis of spiritual gifts there as well. Turn with me to Romans 12 and verse 10. The apostle Paul called for God's church to love, but in case this is construed simply as an ideal, he put it into living context in Romans 12 verse 10. This section of Romans 12 presupposes that we have a dedicated life that enables us to discover and demonstrate the will of God, and we know that God is love and the will of God is that we show. Love toward one another. In Romans 12 verses 9 to 13, our relationship with fellow Christians is described first. And then in verses 14 to 21, our proper interaction with those who are outside the church is mentioned. Now love should be displayed to others as a way of life. Not just spoken of in an eloquent way as we so often hear from the worldly Christian churches of this world, Paul describes the outward expression of love that brethren must have toward one another here in Romans 12 and verse 10. He says be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love in honor giving preference to one another, so he simplified. The act of love that we should have toward one another. The Greek word yo storgios that Paul uses here is translated kindly affectionate in the New King James. It's translated kindly affectioned in the King James and devoted in the NIV. It occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, and Vine's expository dictionary of biblical words says that Philostorios expresses tenderly loving. Now it is the Greek word for family love. Indicating tender affection such as the type that exists between parents and children, and it means that true Christians should have similar feelings toward each other since we belong to the same family. And are united in the same spiritual principles. In the same biblical laws and in the same godly interests and goals. We know that we have a duty to be family affectionate with one another because we are spiritual brothers and sisters because we are members of one family, be gotten into the family of God. And we baptize someone. We expressed to them that they are baptized into the family of God and not into any physical organization. We are not isolated units, we are spiritual siblings because we have one spiritual father. Now everyone is familiar with how brothers and sisters in a human family argue and clash, and this occasionally occurs in the congregations of God as well. Now Paul takes the opportunity here to raise the level of being kindly affectionate to esteeming others better than themselves, and by doing what Paul admonishes here, these arguments and clashes that we have within the congregations dissipate. Now here at the end of Romans 12 and verse 10, Paul says in honor, giving preference to one another. Now this honor is in the form of respecting and cherishing and appreciating our brethren and not in seeking honor ourselves are striving after respect. A part of our responsibility in manifesting kindly affection requires that we give to each other priority and honor. It's not easy to give each other priority and honor when pride or hurt feelings are occurring within the congregation, but the mark of a true Christian has always been humility, and humility will erase selfish human tendencies in human relationships. So this priority and honor involves an intimate relationship and is reserved for those of our family. And priority and honor should be directed to God first and then our families, and then to our brethren, and then to brethren and other congregations. Start with me to first, Peter. Now honor means to place value upon, and we understand the meaning of the word honor more clearly when we see in in Scripture how Peter uses the same word to refer to the way that a husband treats his wife or should treat his wife. And I Peter 3:7, Peter says, Husbands likewise dwell with them, that is what your wives with understanding, giving honor to the wife. And here we see the same Greek word for honor as is used in Romans 12 and verse 10. Where Paul says in honor giving preference to one another, so husbands must place value upon their wives. And also brethren must place value upon each other. But the same Greek word for honor is translated as precious, referring to Jesus Christ in I Peter 2. In verses 4 through 7, so you'll turn over a page. To notice that First Peter 2:4. Coming to him as Jesus Christ as to a living stone rejected indeed by men but chosen by God and precious, that same Greek word, you are also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Say, are you also, so we also are precious. And then verse 6, therefore it is also contained in the scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone cornerstone elect precious, it's the same Greek word, and he who believes on him will by no means be put to shame. So we see there that that same word that's used for honor is also used. Our also translated Precious, referring to both Jesus Christ and we as the elect and Christians. To honor is to accord recognition, to show appreciation, to greatly value. This is not based on a person's personal physical attractiveness or on a person's perceived usefulness in the congregation, but rather on the fact that we members of God's church or rather God's family. Have the affection of Jesus Christ in us. The apostle Paul spoke of the affection of Christ when he referred to his affection for the for the brethren in Philippi in Philippians 1 and 8, and he said, For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. Now the King James has in the bowels of Jesus Christ, but the Greek word literally means the area of the heart, lungs, and liver, not the intestines. And so the New Testament or the new King James translates it the affection of Jesus Christ, referring to the feelings of love and tenderness that are believed to swell up from the inward parts of the human body. Paul's affection had a divine origin. In fact, it was actually the indwelling Christ who loves through Him and through us. So the illusion here is to the compassion. And of the kindness and of the love of Christ, Paul said he regarded the brethren with the same affection that Jesus had for them. Paul's affection was the affection of Christ in a similar way that we have the mind of Christ dwelling within us. If you turn over to Philippians 2 and verse 1, just over a few pages. In Philippians 2 verses 1 through 8, Paul admonishes the Philippian brethren to be like-minded and humble in conformity to the example of Jesus Christ, the great pattern of unity, of humility, and love. There is an affectionate bond by which we are united with Christ. There is a common spirit that facilitates this unity to Christ and to. The other brethren And now here in Philippians 2 and verse 1. Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy fulfill my joy by being like-minded, that is unified. Having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind. We know that to be humility. Let each esteem others better than than himself. Let each of you look. Out not only for his own interests but also the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death. Even the death of the cross. So Philippians 2. verses 1 through 8 is a description of being kindly affectionate to one another. And notice it requires humility. Paul says in the low lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself, and this is how we are kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love and honor, giving preference to one another by being unified and humble and emulating the affection of Jesus Christ. So we emulate the value God has placed upon us when we value others by kindly being kindly, affectionate to one another.