2Pe 1:7 (add to your faith: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance) godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

Brotherly kindness - an other-centered affectionate love that arises from purified lives sharing and pursuing the life of Christ in unity;

purchased by loyally and like-mindedly submitting to one another in pursuing true Biblical fellowship that reflects God.

I. Our priority should be to love one another

Ro 12:10  Be kindly affectionate/devoted to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

Gal 6: 10  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

2Th 1:3  We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,  Col 1:4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints

1Jn 4:20  If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also

II. Our love for each other should mirror that of God’s love for us

1Th 4:9 concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another

John 13:34  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35  "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."  Jn 15:17  "These things I command you, that you love one another.

1Jn 3:16  By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Eph 4:2  with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

III. Our Love should express itself in serving the needs of the saints

Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers

1Pe 4:9  Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.Ro 12:13  distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Ga 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Gal 6: 1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

1Jn 3:17  But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18  My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

IV. Our love is hindered by lack of holiness...

A. ...because our motives will be impure and self-centered, hiding from, using and damaging others

1Pt 1:22  Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit to/for/eis a sincere love of the brethren,

love one another fervently with a pure heart

1Jn 1: 7 if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, & the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin

1Jn 2:9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10  He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.11 he who hates his brother is in darkness & walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1Jn 3:10  In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother 11  For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12  not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13  Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

B. ...because our prideful self-will will prevent submissive, God glorifying unity

Eph 4:2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Jn 17:21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me  

1Co 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

1Cor 12: 25  that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

Eph 4: 15  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. How does your love for other believers mirror that of Christ’s love for His disciples? Paul’s love for believers? God’s love for you?

2. How does someone “doing their own thing” or “doing what they believe is best for themselves” contrast with Biblical brotherly love?

3. How does socializing differ from fellowship? How does a mutual sharing of one’s life in Christ differ from brotherly love?

4. How have you been the recipient of brotherly love? How can you pass that love along to someone else?

5. How do envy, greed, sloth, lust, gluttony, pride or anger, prevent us from giving and receiving brotherly love?

6. What other barriers prevent brotherly love from being given or accepted?  Is one loved if they don’t feel loved? How so?