Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.

A lot of things are addressed in this book of Hebrews.
We are reminded of what Christ did for us. We are warned to keep it fresh in our minds,
to be sure we do not fall prey to unbelief. We’re reminded to keep the fear of God, we’re reminded of the power in His Word. We are reminded as to how we should study and to become teachers of the doctrine. We are then instructed to take what we have learned, apply it to our lives, and go on to perfection! It speaks of faith and its requirement to please God, and how it is given through Jesus Christ. It explains that trials are necessary, to bring our faith to completion. Then, as we come to the last chapter of the book, verse one says, “Let brotherly love continue.”

We must realize, that without true Godly love, nothing else really matters! Matthew 22:37-40 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

1John 4:20 “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?” Jesus also told us in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” What is the Word of God trying to tell us? The most important characteristic of The Church of God must be the member’s love for one another. We might say, “I know that!” However, if we have it right, why does the Holy Ghost continue to tell us, He must teach us? God is trying to teach us to love one another, but we must be willing to be taught!

1Corinthians 13:2 “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” 1Peter 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:” (Very enthusiastically, or passionately).
We, as The Church of God, will never be able to win the lost until we love one another fervently! Hebrews 13:3 instructs us, to treat them who are in bonds and those who suffer, as if these things are happening to us. Paul puts it like this: 1Corinthians 12:26 “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” The attitude of the world is, “it’s all about me.” Brothers and Sisters, The Church of God cannot have this kind of spirit! Philippians 2:4 “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Coming together through prayer, and love for one another, is our defense against the wiles of the devil. And when things happen, we should do all we can to lift one another up in love. Galatians 6:1 tells us our own salvation depends on it!

Can we learn to love the world, if we can’t love one another? No! So we then must get our brotherly love right! True love begins in the household of God; every member, loving one another! Why are we instructed to obey the law of the land? Because failure to do so, could lead to serious trouble. We should heed this warning from God’s Word. Failure to love our Brothers and Sisters within the Church, has a far greater penalty than anything in this world! 1John 2:9 “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.” 1John 3:15 “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” 1John 4:8 “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

I want to repeat it again- without true Godly love, nothing else really matters. 2Corinthians 2:4-8 “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. Sufficient to such a man is this
punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.” Whatever a person may have done, we can never have the attitude that we no longer need them. We’ve all made mistakes and blunders and thank God for his grace and forgiveness! We must have that same forgiveness!

It seems that the Corinthians had gotten to the place where they began to watch one another with the intent of catching them doing something wrong, and then to dwell on it, or make it public. No doubt offenses had happened that caused this mistrust among them. Paul brought this to their attention, but then he urged them to be right the opposite and to have a forgiving heart, even when a wrong really occurred. He warns us in 2Corinthians 2:11 “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” If we allow Satan’s devices to distort our love for one another, we will not be among those who have reached perfection and made themselves ready to be raptured away!
I’m sure if you look for flaws, you can find them. But instead, why can we not look with
intentions to find the good in our Brothers and Sisters? I know, things happen that must be dealt with, and the Bible gives us clear instructions concerning those things. But I’m also convinced, that many of these things will never happen if our love for one another is right! 1Corinthians 12:25 “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”

In his letters to the Corinthians, Paul gave the Church clear details on how to deal with public offenses. However, in Matthew and Mark, Jesus tells us plainly what we must do, when a private offense has happened. We’re instructed to go to that individual and do whatever we can to get it made it right. If it can be “worked out”, the matter should never be discussed with anyone else. There are further steps if needed. However, the enemy would like to cause us to share it with everyone, excep the one it concerns. Or he would like to convince us to just let it go, eventually it’ll go away, and everything will be fine.
I must warn us today, if an offense has happened (it may have been 30 yrs ago) if it hasn’t been made right, whatever good a person may have done since that time, will be counted worthless. 1Corinthians 13:1 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” If we have true Brotherly love, we will make sure that if these things exist, that they are made right! We cannot love one another and be offended at the same time!

Mark 12:32-34a “And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God…”
My prayer is: “Remind us O Lord, if there’s something we need to take care of.”

Donalhue Grimes, Overseer -The Church of God, Georgia