For The Sincere Love Of The Brethren

Introduction

And that. And before Tony’s lesson, we’ll sing number 92. Others. And if you can, would you please stand? We’ll sing all three verses.

And that. And before Tony’s lesson, we’ll sing number 92. Others. And if you can, would you please stand? We’ll sing all three verses.

Let me soard help me live from day to day. In such a self forgive way that even when I need to pray, my prayer shall be for others. Others, Lord, yes, others. Let this my thousand to help me live for others.

And know that I do for you. Must be done for others.

Yes, others. Let this my mind to help me live for other be cruised by slain and may ever speak to rise again to live yes. Let this my live.

And I was not planning to preach on this particular subject until late in the week. I was asked by Wilson Adams a couple of weeks ago to write an article on the subject, and as I got into it and finally completed the article this week, I decided I think I want to preach this as a sermon. So here it is, the article that turns into a sermon, because I am going to deal with a single verse that says a lot about God’s intentions for us. And I’ve said a lot about this verse in times recent because it does say so much in 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 22 since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls. For a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.

1. Without the Truth, Our Souls Cannot Be Purified

There are several points to ponder here. One is that without the truth, our souls cannot be purified. Purification before God is not possible. In John 8, Jesus said that very clearly. When he said, if you abide in my word, then you are disciples of mine. Cause and effect. If you abide in my word, then you are disciples of mine, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. And he said later in that familiar statement, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through me, John 14 and verse 6. And so that’s a very significant point here. You have in obedience to the truth, purified your souls. Purification cannot occur without truth. Point number two.

2. Purification Involves More Than Simple Belief

Purification involves more than simple belief. This is the growing theological point of our times. That all an individual has to do to be saved is to arrive at a passive acceptance or passive faith regarding Jesus, and you are saved and saved forever. Just believe that Jesus is the Savior. That’s it’s done, it’s over. Signed, sealed, and delivered. But this passage suggests more. The purification of our souls occurs when it says you have an obedience to the truth, purified your souls. A belief that saves is a belief that embraces the word of God. In Hebrews chapter 5, Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him. Hebrews 5, 8 and 9. This does not nullify the grace of God, but works with the grace of God in our salvation.

3. The Essential Step of Faith Is Baptism

And in Hebrews 12 and verse 14, it says that without holiness, that would be an aspect of obedience. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord. That’s a second profound point in 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 22, leading me to this point as we look at the word purified, the concepts of purification and cleansing show clearly the essential step of faith that places us in Christ is baptism. And that’s consistence, consistent with the rest of the New Testament message. Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls. That concept of purification or cleansing works well with water baptism for the remission of sins. And works with passages like Galatians 3 and verse 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

4. Purification Is Unto a Sincere Love of the Brethren

Our sanctification comes by the washing of water with the word. Obedience to the word, as it instructs us to be baptized, by the washing of water with the word, we become the church, the bride of Christ, Ephesians chapter 5, verses 25 through 27. And we read of in Titus 3, 4 and 5, the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. And so we have the concept of purification and cleansing and the role that baptism plays in that. But the fourth profound point to ponder here is that one great goal of purification is unto a special relationship with others who have done the same. Others who have purified their souls in obedience to the truth, Peter says, it is unto or for a sincere love of the brethren.

Of all the things, Peter could have said that this purification is unto.

He selects this. By influence of the Holy Spirit, Peter says, you have in obedience to the truth, purified your souls for or unto a sincere love of the brethren. I mean, you think about what is our conversion unto? And all the things that could be said, that our conversion to the Lord is unto. It is unto a life of worship. Obviously, we are dedicated to that as his people as we do it on the Lord’s Day, each Lord’s day, and other times at that. He could have said, it is unto a life of holiness and purity, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7 and verse 1, removing all defilement of flesh and spirit to be pure as he is pure. 1 John chapter 3 and verse 3, who could argue that this initial purification now brings us into the life of holiness, as we quoted Hebrews 12 and verse 14, or to the purpose that we have as God’s children to be light to a lost world.

Salt of the earth, light of the world, a city that cannot be hidden, set on a hill, Matthew chapter 5, verses 12 through 16. And that’s just the beginning. Of all that we could say that this purification is unto. But isn’t it interesting? Of all the things that could have been said by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the thing that Peter selects is for a sincere love of the brethren. Couple that with the fact that a large portion of the New Testament revolves around instruction that relates to relationships, particularly the relationship of brothers. I mean, you start reading through the New Testament from the book of Acts when the church is beginning to grow and flourish to the epistles of Paul and then the epistles that follow from the Hebrew writer and James and 1st and 2 Peter and John and Jude.

Do you realize how many statements are made about this relationship and the kinds of attitudes and qualities and the kind of character that we’re supposed to have in this brother-to-brother relationship? I’m here to tell you, it dominates the New Testament landscape. Shocking, isn’t it? What about relationships in the home? Husband and wife, parent and child. Well, that’s addressed in the New Testament as well. But not as much as the relationship of brother to brother is addressed. A lot of folks want to hear messages about the home today, and I think those are relevant messages, and I’ve been preaching more messages about the home than I did in times past because the home is under attack by the devil. But you know, when you start looking at the material in the New Testament that specifically relates to the marriage relationship or the parent-child relationship, there’s just a few passages.

But who would deny the impact that it could have upon our souls? I mean, take this passage in 1 Peter 3 and verse 7, for instance, which says, the husband who does not deal with his wife in an understanding way, it says his prayers could be hindered. But everything that follows, I would suggest, in this relationship of brothers and the attitudes that we are to have toward one another in Christ are equally applicable in our homes. As you continue reading in 1 Peter 3 and verse 8, after he mentions that statement about husbands dealing with their wives in an understanding way, he says, to sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly. I mean, don’t those passages apply to the home as well? Certainly they do.

The characters and qualities that we are to possess as Christians, to sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind hearted, and humble in spirit, not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead, for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. So as we look at this significant verse in the message of 1 Peter, I want to talk to you briefly this morning about this sincere love of the brethren unto which we are called. Why is there so much emphasis in the New Testament on the brother to brother relationship in Christ? Would it not be due to the very nature of our oneness in him? As God introduces the gospel to the Gentiles, the first Gentile convert, Corneus, in Acts the tenth chapter, what is the message?

God is no respecter of persons, Acts 10, 34. He is not one to show partiality, but listen to this, in every nation, he who fears God and does what is right is welcome to him. Do you realize the issues that unfold by such a message as that? Not just Jews, but Gentiles and people of every nation brought together as one in Christ. And so individuals are drawn to the gospel and become members of this sanctified body of believers, this purification that occurs in obedience to the truth brings people together from every walk of life and every social stratum that exists. Galatians 3 27, for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. If anyone is in Christ, what? Jew or Gentile?

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, bond nor free, male nor female. I mean, everything you can conceive, every possible social difference, the things which usually and often separate people. Yet oneness could be derived. Every ethnic background. And so the issue of harmony and oneness is something that is not easily achieved, and thus it is a constant theme in the New Testament. There were challenges among first century Christians in terms of oneness. And we see that problem in the church at Corinth in this very familiar text in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. The presence of spiritual gifts in the church at Corinth was causing friction, though that was not their intention. They all originated from the one and the same God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who all worked together for a common purpose.

These variety of gifts were all intended to produce unity as they taught the way of love. 1 Corinthians chapter 13 would go on to say. And he says, You were all baptized by one Spirit into one body. And that’s when he goes into the illustration of the Lord’s people as a body and talks about the particular members of a body, that the hand cannot say to the foot, I have no need of you. Or vice versa. And if every part of the body was a hand, where would the hearing be or the smelling be? I mean, my hands can’t smell the wonderful aroma of food that we’re about to smell in about 45 minutes. Aren’t you glad you have a nose? Isn’t that a pleasant thing sometimes when the smell is good?

Or isn’t it wonderful, though our ears perhaps are not the prettiest parts of our body? Isn’t it nice that they hear and we can communicate with one another? Would you like to go without your hearing? Every part of the body, we need to function together to work properly. I’m not going to rejoice in the fact that I have two feet if I don’t have two hands. I’m going to miss my hands. I’ll tell you, my toes can’t do what my some people’s toes are pretty amazing, but my toes can’t do what my fingers can do. And so all of the parts are necessary. And as that relates to our functioning together as a body, we all have different abilities and talents and backgrounds, and some are able and capable of doing so much more than others, but every part is significant.

Jesus is teaching, Paul is teaching in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. You are Christ’s body and individually members of it, and God gives more abundant honor to the member which lacked. Every part functioning properly is the goal. About a decade ago, there was a large debate that occurred among brethren in various places about how we were supposed to understand Romans 14. And that sort of died down. And some of the points that were being made, some said, well, he’s talking about being able to get along, though we have different ideas about things, and so therefore we could have this kind of unity and diversity that you know you can believe what you want to believe, and I’ll believe what I want to believe on almost everything, and that’ll be okay.

Well, that’s not what Paul is saying. He’s not issuing some kind of endorsement for unity and diversity. You can believe whatever you want. That just isn’t consistent with the rest of the New Testament, or even the book of Romans. You go to Romans 16, 17 and 18, and they were instructed to turn away from those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you have learned, and turn away from them. There are obviously some issues that we need to take a stand about, that we need to agree about, and we need to turn away from those who teach and instruct differently. This passage is talking about matters of personal faith, where in certain instances the Lord’s instruction is not as specific as it is in other places that allows for areas of judgment and discernment to be exercised where your decision doesn’t affect my decision and my faith before God.

And those are the kinds of issues that he’s dealing with, particularly matters pertaining to meat sacrificed to idols and things like that. Which isn’t relevant to our particular culture, but was relevant to a first century culture. Does that mean if I partake of that meat and eat of that meat that I am condoning idolatry? Well, Paul answers that and says, no, you’re not condoning idolatry. But on the other hand, you don’t want to be a stumbling block to your brother. And so the passage is all about attitudes toward brothers. What is Romans 14 all about, really, in a nutshell? I would say verse 19. So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. We have to find a way to iron things out and work together, and in some cases do different things in these matters that involve judgment and discernment.

And if I might make a modern application, immodesty is wrong and taught against in the New Testament, 1 Timothy 2, 9 and 10. But what constitutes immodesty? And I know we’ll say, well, you better draw your line safe rather than be sorry. And I’m all about teaching that. But you’re still going to have within the body people making different determinations about how these principles apply in our culture. And that’s just one example. And I hope to do an entire Wednesday night study on the Christian and culture in the next quarter and talk about some of those kinds of things. And we’re going to have to allow for different judgments in certain areas on some of those kinds of things. And to work toward peace. But he goes on in Romans chapter 15, and this is the part really, it’s not all about chapter division sometimes.

I think we stop too soon sometimes. Don’t stop at the end of Romans 14, because that’s not the end of the discussion. Look at what he goes on further to say. Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to his edification. This is simply a longer, more detailed explanation of 1 Peter 1 22. What does it mean that we have been purified unto a sincere love of the brethren? Here’s the kinds of things that it means. Verse 5.

And with one accord, you may with one voice, as we have done this morning, with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, accept one another. How? Just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. Certainly he’s not saying accept one another regardless of behavior, even if they’re sinning. He’s not saying that. He says, as Christ has accepted you, so you should accept one another. Look at the things that are mentioned about this brother-to-brother relationship in just these few verses. Bear the weaknesses of those without strength, not just pleasing ourselves. Christ didn’t do that. Be of the same mind toward one another. With one accord, you may with one voice glorify God. Accept one another. What is this saying?

It is not all about me. Not just please ourselves. What if Christ had done that? Would we have had a redeemer? Would we have had a sacrifice at Calvary? One of the attitudes and qualities that we’re called upon to cultivate is that we’re just not all about ourselves anymore. Not just pleasing ourselves. That way is empty and unfulfilling. Now I direct my concern toward others, and possessing an other’s view liberates me. It imitates Christ and glorifies God. And the amazing thing is that we, me, is greatly enriched and encouraged in the process of not just pleasing ourselves, but serving others. Oh, the wonder of God’s wisdom. Self is really enhanced and enriched when the focus is taken off of self. In this section of Romans 15, Paul mentions the Old Testament scriptures in verse 4.

This is the, and I forgot to mention this in class. This is why Obadiah is valuable. I kept hinting around this and never gave you the verse. This is it. Romans 15, 4, for whatever was written aforetime was written for our instruction that through perseverance and encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. Passages like Obadiah. But beyond that, the entire Old Testament instruct us in the ways of God. And I started thinking about that. What about the examples of those heroes of faith of the Old Testament? Abraham and Moses and Job and Daniel, just to name a few. We’ve been studying on Sunday morning the prayers of the Bible, and we’ve looked at several of these guys. Maybe all of them in our study. You know what stands out to me with all four of these great heroes of faith?

They prayed for others. Prayers that are recorded. Abraham prayed for Sodom and Gomorrah, even. And his nephew Lot in Sodom. Moses, when they sinned with the golden calf, and God is saying, I’m going to destroy Israel. I’m going to make Moses of you a great nation. He says, No, blot my name out of the book of life. But preserve them. What an incredible prayer in Exodus 33, 32 and 33. Job made continual prayer and sacrifices for his children for the possibility of their sins. And at the end of the story, what does God say? You need to pray for your friends. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. What a great intercessor he was. Daniel in Daniel 9 prayed for the sins of his people that have caused them to be in captivity.

And so as we talk about a sincere love of the brethren, I want to ask you this question, not just for today, but for tomorrow and every day this week. For whom are you going to pray? Today. And then there’s the example of Paul. In 2 Corinthians 11, despite all of his suffering and the injuries that were inflicted upon him, it says, beyond all of those things, the 39 lashes, beaten times without number. There is the pressing concern for all the churches. It’s an amazing example. For whom have you displayed concern? Not just please ourselves. Our purification is unto a sincere love of the brethren. And when we talk about the body that Christ calls us to be, it is so opposed to the modern concept of, well, I’ll put in my religious time on Sunday morning, perhaps every week, and that’s it.

Then I go and do my own thing. That’s not the nature of this body. And finally, in 1 Peter, back to 1 Peter. A few chapters later in 1 Peter, when he talks about the end of all things is at hand, not really knowing for sure what he’s referring to there. Perhaps a reference to final judgment. The end of all things is at hand. That would seem to be, have some application to that, but may have other things in mind. But whatever the judgment is, it’s sobering. And because something so sobering of this as this is true, he says, look at the next verse 8. Above all, what do you need to do? Keep fervent in your love for one another. Love covers a multitude of sins, and be hospitable to one another without complaint.

To whom have you shown hospitality? Like be hospitable to one another without complaint or without murmuring, and do so by the strength that God supplies, and whatever gift God has given you, employ it in serving one another. 1 Peter 4 verses 10 and 11. And so to walk worthy of our calling, we must possess qualities like humility and gentleness and forbearance and patience. Ephesians 4, verses 1 and 2, after which follows this statement, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. To truly be Christians, we must be kind and tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven us, Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 32. Somebody says, I’m a Christian. What does it mean this in your life? Purified unto a sincere love of the brethren, to possess the mind of Christ.

We must do nothing from selfishness and empty conceit. But let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. And then he said in the previous verse regard one another as more important than yourself, and to rightfully claim I love God, then I must love my brother also. I cannot love God, whom I cannot see. If I cannot love my brother, whom I can’t see. How does that affect the kind of Christianity you are pursuing? What kind of consideration are there? Is there for others in our lives? And that’s why I had Mike lead the song. Lord help me live from day to day in such a self-forgetful way that even when I kneel to pray, my prayer shall be for others. Others, Lord.

Conclusion

Yes, others. Let this my motto be help me to live for others, that I may live like thee. Focusing on others is what we are called unto. It is liberating, it is rewarding, and it will enrich our lives. God never instructs us to do something that is not in our best interests to perform it. It always makes our lives better and richer and deeper. We live in a self-consumed world. And we will be challenged to live like the world around us. But we must be different. Since then, you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls. Have you? And if you’re in this audience this morning and you have not done so, we encourage you to do so for your soul’s salvation and the betterment of your life while we stand and sing.

And be ready to enter the soul’s pride when he comes to reward the faithfulness will be joined always those who have made ready watch all watch and break watch and all watch for me and be ready to write.