◄ What Does Hebrews 13:1 Mean? ►

The book of Hebrews points us to the unique person and work of the Lord Jesus and calls us to trust God in all things, for without faith it is impossible to please Him. It warns us to beware of falling short of the calling God has on our lives and cites Israel as an object lesson on pitfalls to avoid, as well as identifying a great cloud of faithful witnesses who trusted God in all the twists and turns of their lives.

In the epilogue of this power-packed epistle, which outlines the broader principles of godly living, we start to be given specific instructions on how to live godly Christian lives, to the glory of God. The very first of the six graces that we should all seek to develop in our lives is love; godly love; a self-sacrificial, deep concern for our brothers and sisters in Christ. And so we are exhorted: "Let brotherly love continue."

We are called in this verse to develop a strong kinship with all members of the Body of Christ and to engender a strong family relationship with other believers. Our inner resolve and heart-determination should be to consider the needs of our Christian family before our own personal needs, in order to provoke others unto love and good works by the gracious example we set in our own actions, attitude, words, and motives.

How easy it is to let brotherly love become our watchword with those that are strong in the faith, and how delightful it is to enjoy godly fellowship with those who are walking in spirit and truth, but we are exhorted to love all our brethren in Christ, not only those that are spiritual. There are many Christians whom the Bible describes as carnal and who have slipped back into the foolish way of the world. Some even indulge in ungodly practices, even denying the Lord who bought them with their foolish behaviour and unprincipled thought.

Paul refers to backslidden Christians as saints who are walking in the flesh, having reverted to spiritual infancy and unable to digest the strong meat of the Word. He identifies some as engaging in jealousy and strife, and walking like unregenerate men. He even lists the activities of certain backslidden saints to include strife, quarrels, divisions, selfish ambition, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, and immorality. Let us take to heart the wisdom and warning in the book of Hebrews so that by grace we are enabled to let brotherly love be the distinguishing mark of our own Christian walk.

Yes, the first principle of the spirit-filled life is for brotherly love to continue. We are to love as Christ loved us; to live as Christ lived and to show forth the love of Christ to all our brothers and sisters in Christ as we minister to them in love, without compromising the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ. We are to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering so that we may stimulate one another to love and good deeds as we seek to develop the love of Christ in our heart to His praise and glory.

Heavenly Father, thank You that while we were yet sinners, You loved us and gave Christ to be the propitiation for our sins. Help us, in word and deed, to increase and abound in brotherly love for one another, just as we also do for You. Give us wisdom as we minister to our brothers and sisters in Christ, and may we speak the truth in love to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN.