BROTHERLY LOVE

BROTHERLY LOVE BROTHERLY LOVE
Elbridge B. Linn

Brethren and friends, I am humbly grateful for the privilege of speaking at this lectureship on the subject of “Brotherly Love.” My sincere feelings for you could not be expressed in more meaningful terms. Since the theme of this series of lectures is “Back to the Old Paths,” it is very significant that the subject of “Brotherly Love” was given to one of the speakers. When one is convinced that men have departed from the divine order of things religious, or that they need to guard against such departure, and raises the scriptural cry, “Back to the Old Paths,” how appropriate it is to consider that when we walk in them, we shall love the brethren.

We would not plead that men return to the days of Jeremiah, nor of any of the later prophets under the law. It is sufficient to say that should we do thus, we should still be obligated by the command “love thy neighbor as thyself” (Leviticus 19:18). Likewise, our responsibilities as brethren to others even under the Old Covenant would be many. Moreover, those who were the nations round about Israel had largely forgotten the “brotherly covenant,” even as the prophet Amos condemned Tyre (Amos 1:9); and also pronounced divine retribution upon Edom, saying, “Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Edom, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof ; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear per-petually, and he kept his wrath forever” (Amos 1:11). A return to “The old paths” definitely demands a return to Christ and his way of living, to the church of the New Testament, and to the will of God as revealed in the New Covenant. Christians ai'e regulated by the word of God in the New Testament. To no other authority do we have recourse. The New Covenant alone is sufficient, and to no other book do we expect to appeal.

During the earthly ministry of Christ, his disciples, who later became apostles, were taught the absolute importance of brotherly love. In the setting of the last supper, Jesus taught the eleven disciples, for Judas had already gone out into the night, saying: “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even 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” (John 13:34-35). Thus, Christ made love the badge of discipleship.

Years later, the apostle John wrote: “He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes (1 John 2:8-11). Also, “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. For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother . . . We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:10-18). And then, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love . . . Beloved, if God so love us, we also ought to love one another ... 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, cannot love God whom he hath not seen. And this commandment have we from him, that who loveth God love his brother also” (1 John 4:7-8; 1 John 4:11; 1 John 4:20-21). Are our hearts left hard and untouched by the tendering truth of these words of scripture? Do we think we can get by in a denial of the goodness of God by brotherly unkindness? Whoever he may be, he ignores the commandment of our Lord who does not love his brother. He is stumbling in the darkness, is yet a child of the devil, remaineth in death to righteousness, knoweth not God and is not begotten of him, who loveth not his brother.
The unbeliever is in a state of condemnation. The impenitent has not turned to God. The unbaptized has never been buried with his Lord by baptism into death, and raised to walk in newness of life. The believer who lives and worships after a thus saith man, and not a “thus saith the Lord" is in doctrinal error. Equally condemned by the truth along with these is the church member who is without brotherly love! The word of God is at this point very explicit.

Because of the emphasis made in all of God’s teach-ing with regard to our brotherly responsibilities, Paul wrote the Thessalonians: “But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another" (1 Thessalonians 4:9). Through Paul’s instruction the Colossian brethren had love “toward all the saints" (Colossians 1:4). Peter likewise admonished all Christians, especially the elect of the Dispersion: “Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently" (1 Peter 1:22). To the Romans, Paul gave exhortation: “Owe no man anything save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8).

We do owe the brethren love. Our responsibilities toward them are measured by this tender regard. Our attitudes toward and our deeds on behalf of others in Christ must be in harmony with the divine principle of love.

Brotherly Love Is Expressed In Forgiveness
Man’s deepest need from man is forgiveness, just as it is also his greatest blessing from God. Jesus knew that in all of our human relationships that we would sin against others and others would sin against us. Of course, this unpleasant truth grieves us as Christians, but face it we must. Jesus said to his disciples: “Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him” (Luke 17:3). The innate unwillingness of even Christians to forgive is then rebuked by Jesus. Peter’s question to him expresses the carnality of men: “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). Here in Peter’s words we see illustrated the perversity of human nature. It might be all right to forgive once or twice, but the average person would be pretty well tired out by the time he forgave seven times. No doubt Peter used the number seven to mean perfection or completeness, after common Hebrew usage. But Jesus abolished for all time the tabulating system of forgiveness in saying: “I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven.” Our Lord thus has taught us that forgiveness has no limitations. For, in the following parable of the king and his two servant debtors, (Matthew 18:23-34), Jesus emphasized the truth in parable that God has forgiven all of our many sins against him.

Therefore, we ought to forgive the few sins that our brother has committed against us! (Note Matthew 18:35).

Restoration of the offender and reconciliation with the offended are included in forgiveness, wherever possible. “And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: and if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican” (Matthew 18:15-17). What tragic dissensions have there been in the church, which would have been stilled before they erupted, had brethren followed the teaching of Christ. How long have brethren carried on their bitter quarrels, which never could have lasted had they listened to the words of Jesus! This teaching bound upon us by the apostles of Christ was, as some other teaching given by our Lord during his public ministry, to be followed by his church, beginning on the day of Pentecost. Our pardon of the offences of others will certainly result in our prayers for them. The Lord’s followers are to pray for their persecuters (Matthew 5:44). How much rather will they intercede on behalf even of sinning brethren! “If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request” (1 John 5:16). As long as your brother lives, pray for him. Pray God’s blessings upon his work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope. And, when he sins, pray that Jehovah will give him life yet that he may repent!

One’s love for a brother in Christ will constrain him, though even as the offender, to seek the offended. “If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). While Christ spoke to those under the law, the principle remains the same today. How salutary would be the application! Brotherly love, then, is seen in forgiveness, restoration and reconciliation, and in prayer for one another.

Brotherly Love Tempers Judgment
Probably, there is no weakness more general among Christians than fault-finding. In the Sermon on the Mount Christ dealt with this human fault as follows: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye. Cast first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:1-5). Christ is not here forbidding judgments by the civil courts, nor by the church on evil within, nor even that private appraisal of the character of another.

He advised men, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). He also laid down the axiom that a tree is judged by its fruit (Matthew 7:17) and a man by his words (Matthew 12:3 b). That which Christ forbade was “judging” all right, but the context definitely establishes the condemnation of Christ as against fault -finding, harsh criticism, censoriousness, a carping attitude, caviling, or hypocritical hypercriticism. Criticism may be constructive, in eliminatng weakness, suggesting improvements, and ensuring success. Such a critic is a friend. All of us should yearn for the wisdom to thus counsel, even as Disraeli said of another: “He wreathed the rod of criticism with roses.”

Jesus said that he was a hypocrite who tried to pick the “mote” out of his brother’s eye, while he still had a “beam” in his own eye! Life would be a perpetual flea-hunt, if one was compelled to trace down all the little mean, unjust criticisms made against him. But how much lower is the vocation of him who is a fault- picker, who goes about seeing only the vices of men and never their virtues! They practice seeing only what is wrong with others (they think) until they are blind to their own weaknesses. For such obvious inconsistency the Lord had but one word: Hypocrite! Surely he is a hyprocrite who insists on removing a splinter from his brother’s eye, whde he has a telegraph pole in his own. Such an one does not want to be his brother’s keeper; he would prefer to be his brother’s judge!

“Judge not! the workings of his brain
And of his heart thou canst not see;
What to thy dim eyes may seem a stain,
In God’s pure light may only be a scar,
Brought from some well-won field
here thou would’st only faint and yield!”

“But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God” “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumbling- block in his brother’s way, or an occasion of falling” (Romans 14:10; Romans 14:13).

Brotherly Love Is Considerate of Others
We must consider others. Our words, the deeds of our lives, as related to others, are as the threads of a garment knitted together. This is the very illustration used in the Scriptures. Christians are said to be “knit together in love” (Colossians 2:2). I am not chiefly considering the courtesy and gratitude which we ought to express toward one another, even though they should not be neglected. Rather, there are brethren who are babes in Christ, who are deficient in knowl- edege, who are weak in the faith. Paul proved by his own example, that, rather than judging the brethren, he carefully scrutinized his own life, lest he put a stumblingblock in his brother’s way, or an occasion of falling. There were weak brethren then, and there are weak brethren now. Then, meat offered to heathen gods in pagan temples was a stumblingblock to weak Christians, who had just been rescued from paganism. While by no means, did all Christians consider an idol the same, yet, those who were weak were wounded in conscience m seeing those who were stronger spiritually eat meat which had been sacrificed to an idol. Then, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 8:11-13 : “For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And thus, sinning against the brethren, and wounding their consicience when it is weak, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh forevermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble.” The danger of unrestrained indulgence of the Christian’s liberty, may be avoided by following Christ’s example (Php_2:5-7). With a self-sacrificing disposition and an affectionate attitude, we should strive for the well-being of every Christian, however, ignorant or weak he may be, teaching him, of course, at the same time. After citing the example of Christ, Paul admonished the Roman brethren: “Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourslves. Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, unto edifying” (Romans 15:1-2). In making application of this principle, one must remember:

(1) that it refers to things in themselves indifferent. It is not a question of the truth of the Gospel, nor of the basic Christian life. Where true Christian liberty was endangered, Paul refused to yield (Galatians 2:3-5).
(2) Each Christian is to be the judge of how this course of action is to be followed in certain circumstances, as for example, the manner of one’s behavior on the lord’s Day, or the relations of Christians to some public amusements. Expediency may be a far cry from liberty.

Love of the brethren will constrain us to encourage “the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14), “forbearing one another in love” (Ephesians 4:3).

Brotherly Love Exercises Sympathy “In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another” (Romans 12:10). “Weep with them that weep” wrote Paul. This is sympathy. It may be easier to sympathize with one when his tears bathe his cheeks, than to rejoice with one on whom “good fortune” has smiled. But the whole verse reads: “Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep” (Romans 12:15).

There was a time when Christians were persecuted for their faith. Some of them suffered almost unmentionable injuries. When the Hebrew writer had exhorted: “Let love of the brethren continue,” he added for the sake of those who were persecuted because they loved Christ, “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are ill-treated, as being yourselves also in the body” (Hebrews 13:1; Hebrews 13:3). Brethren, do you love enough to do that?

I stepped to the information desk of a certain hospital, to intercede for a young wife whose husband lay at that moment in a room above us, at the very point of death. Mine was a simple request. The folded cot under my arm suggested that the wife desired to be at her husband’s side through the night, trembling at his every labored breath, lovingly wiping away the sweat of death from his face, and then perhaps to sink exhausted on the cot herself. The nurse’s terse reply was, “No, it’s against the rules!” She had scarcely uttered the words when the young woman stepped before her, and whispered her plea in words that would break your heart: “Please, they say Billy may die tonight!” The request was granted. Why? Who knows? Sympathy? Yes, it might have been. The nurse may have remembered the last hours of a husband, or of a friend, or of her own little girl. Whatever her reason, I know that my brethren will exercise brotherly love so that they may “rejoice with them that rejoice; and weep with them that weep.”

Brotherly Love Produces Kindness
The word of God instructs us to “add to your faith . . . brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity (love)” (2 Peter 1:5-7). We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 13 that “love ... is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4). Brethren, it is not a sign of weakness to be kind, but of strength. Unkindness is weakness, because God is love and all - powerful. We have alieady been admonished, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18). To be sure, there is today too much palaver and not enough performance. Being kind is not to be confused with being “mealy mouthed.” It is to “speak the truth in love.” But never forget that brotherly love induces kindness of speech.

Gossip, slander, and tale-bearing are not kind. Perhaps one of the cruelest inflictions of pain upon man is to burn away his reputation and to sear his soul in the fire started by a tongue that is devil-kindled and hell-lighted. Many persons, without realizing it, have played gossip’s game, and have thereby become unpaid devil’s messengers, bearing about infernal messages.

Titus cautioned the brethren “to speak evil of no man” (Titus 3:2), although Paul later warned the brethren to refuse a factious “man after a first and second admonition” (Titus 3:10). It is plain then that Paul dis-tinguished here, as well as elsewhere, between speaking of a man’s evil, and speaking evil of a man! Brotherly love will keep you from speaking evil of another, guarding that your words should be without intent, even when they deplore another man’s evil
.
Hear God speak to you: “Bless them that persecute you, bless, and curse not” (Romans 12:14). “Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law . . .” (James 4:11). “Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassibnate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded: not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:8-9). In the light of these scriptures, does not the kindness of brotherly love suggest to you that it would be far better if you could just FORGET much of that which you have heard, and read?

“If you see a strong fellow, ahead of the crowd, A leader of men, marching fearless, unbowed, And you know of a tale whose mere telling aloud Would cause that fair head in anguish to be bowed, It’s a pretty good plan to forget it!

If you know of anything that would darken the joy
Of a man or a woman, a girl or a boy,
That would wipe out a smile, or in the least way annoy
A fellow, or cause any gladness to cloy,
It’s a pretty good plan to forget it!
If you know of a thing, just the least little sin,
Whose telling would cause a laugh or a grin
On a fellow you didn’t like—
For his sake keep it in!
Don’t be a knocker; right here stick a pin—
It’s a pretty good plan to forget it!

Brotherly Love Fosters Peace
Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalms 133:1). The Christian is urged to “seek peace, and pursue it” (1 Peter 3:11). There is a mistaken notion among some brethren today that Christian love should seek peace at any price. God’s word has not so taught. Instead, “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable” (James 3:17).

Many persons have made the mistake of assuming that our first spiritual objective is unity, and the peace which ensues. Some have even charged that those are without love who do not seek peace first. But God’s word affirms that our primary objective should be to do his will. When we have a common faith, the result will be unity, and the product of brotherly love: Peace. Hence, Paul wrote: “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all” (Ephesians 4:1-6). When we have all been baptized by the one baptism of the one faith, we shall be brethren, members of the one body, and should exercise brotherly love to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

God’s children are peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), and should endeavor, “if it be possible, as much as in you lieth, (to) be at peace with all men” (Romans 12:18). The children of God are taught: “Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God: for it is written: Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:19-21).

Brethren who cannot control their anger are warned, lest it be the means of destroying their souls: “Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to hi3 brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be danger of the hell of fire” (Matthew 5:21-22).

Let no Christian seek self-justification before the church, nor vengeance upon another, forgetting the divinely appointed obligations of brothery love. It is possibly true that the Christian may have no greater enemy than the consuming passion of anger. “So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another” (Romans 14:19).

Brotherly Love Is Seen In Service
How we need one another! This is true in material matters. A fundamental principle of the faith is: “remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10). Faithful and loving brethren have always been zealous so to do. The exhortation from God: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith” (Galatians 6:10), is remembered well today, as Christians care for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the infirm. Brethren sometimes speak and write of their benevolent work. Let us follow the teaching: “For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another” (Galatians 5:13).

Lest any man think this unimportant, the judgment scene graphically portrayed in the words of Christ himself (Matthew 25:31-46) emphasizes the eternal importance of ministering to the hungry and thirsty, of being hospitable to strangers, of clothing the naked, and of visiting the sick, even those sick brethren in prison! I have heard of some of these ministrations being neglected, even today, but in the judgment day the Lord will not hold them guiltless, who have thus neglected their brethren, even the least among them. “Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me” (Matthew 25:45). How tragic will be the endless doom of Christians who did not exercise brotherly love in service, only to learn that they also failed to minister to Christ! The attitude of some is expressed in the words of James: “If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?” (James 2:15-16). Divine appraisal of such action, with condemnation, is in the next verse: “Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.” (Editor: What kind of works? Works of Righteousness and Works of Obedience)

Brethren likewise need spiritual assistance.
“Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such an one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1). We should encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, longsuffering toward all, and exhort faithful and unfaithful. “Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24). May we remember that we fulfill the law of Christ by bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). An outstanding New Testament example of insistence that a Christian give spiritual assistance to a brother is given by Paul, who, in writing to Philemon instructed him that his former runaway slave, Onesi- mus, had been converted to Christ, and was being returned to Philemon, whose responsibility it was to accept and help him as a brother beloved in the Lord. (Philemon).

Brotherly Love Honors The Deserving
The New Testament commands: “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17). Paul instructed the Roman Christians: “Render to all their dues . . . honor to wnom honor” (Romans 13:7). And also, “In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another” (Romans 12:10).

It should be noted that this use of the word “honor” means “respect, esteem.” Respect is due men in varying degrees, of course, and is to be shown in vavy ing ways. This is a sound rule: “Respect the respectable; pity the despicable.”

Even today, and certainly as the church grows stronger, it will be increasingly necessary to guard against the formation of classes in the church. It would be so easy to capitalize the words “Church Officers, Ministers, Elders, Deacons,” as distinguished from (the lower case) “laymen,” and as distinguished from “the common herd” of “Christians” who are simply trying to serve acceptably the Lord. The brethren are careful in general, but due to the frailties of egotism and ambition, we must in this area be alert watchmen on the walls of Zion!

Nevertheless, there have been, are, and will be men and women in the church who deserve our loving esteem. Elders, deacons, preachers, various members of the church deserve honor. Who could withhold grateful esteem and lifelong respect from certain teachers, and others, connected with Abilene Christian College, and similar schools? How I do honor the brethren of the Highland Church of Christ for their love and courage in the willingness to oversee the work of the “Herald of Truth,” a nationwide radio broadcast! All connected with it, all supporting it with their prayers and gifts, deserve honor for their works’ sake! The example of the apostle Paul serves to instruct us. All who know his epistles have been struck with the force of his grateful esteem for so many, some of whom he names. He spoke of Timothy as “the brother whose praise in the gospel” had “spread through all the churches” (2 Corinthians 8:18). Titus was honored and the brethren with him, who, as “the messengers of the churches” were called “the glory of Christ” (2 Corinthians 8:23). While Paul himself recommended humility always, he also urged: “But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labor among you, and over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them exceeding highly in love for their work’s sake” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13). In view of the following Scriptures, how do certain terms which some Christians apply to others, including elders and evangelists, sound in your ears? Name callers will do well to remember that their very actions betray a weakness within them, not to mention the fact that they pursue a course diametrically opposed to the will of God. Those who hurl invective and use vitriolic language against brethren, beware! repent! and do the will of God! It would be amusing, were it not so tragic, to relate the blunders of otherwise well-meaning people when they felt it necessary to honor someone. The results were almost as bad as that related by the apostle James (2:1-9). He has condemned sin, and we should not forget it!

Brotherly Love Administers Rebuke
Lest anyone misunderstand, and fear that I have been pleading for a moratorium on correction of the erring, or even on religious discussion, I quote the words of Christ: “If thy brother sin, rebuke him.” And also, Paul’s Spirit-guided exhortation: “Preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). No man dare plead for anything else who respects the teaching of God’s word. The discussion from the pulpit, in religious papers, and everywhere, of living issues before the church is to be encouraged and not discouraged. Of course, I am talking to brethren who have the good sense, and the spirituality, to make proper application of other portions of God’s word, too.

God’s word protects God’s church, when men will be ruled by that word! Directions are given in 1 Timothy 5:19-20, to protect elders from false accusations, and to protect God’s people from false elders, and from their sins. The church is the flock of God which is to be preserved from wolves in sheep’s clothing. God’s flock is not to be fleeced by hireling shepherds! False teachers are to be “marked” and turned away from (Romans 16:17). The disorderly are to be withdrawn from (2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15), while faithful Christians are not to “keep company” with the immoral and unspiritual brother (1 Corinthians 5:11).

Conclusion
Men can grow in brotherly love. Paul admonished the brethren to “abound more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:10). John, once a “son of thunder” grew in love. Many have done likewise. With no trepidation do we face the future. Brethren will love each other. The tornado of hatred cannot destroy the church. True, its winds may blow st little, but the “foundation of God standeth sure” (2 Tim. 1:19). The church marches ahead. It is a kingdom which cannot be moved (Hebrews 12:28). God’s people will win because they live better and love more sincerely. “Let love of the brethren continue” (Hebrews 13:1).