Have you ever driven down a highway so caught up in your thoughts that you missed an important sign? This happened to a friend of mine when he was a college student was driving home to Massachusetts from college in northern New York state. Lost in his own world, he missed a crucial road sign and continued driving north for several hours, only realizing his mistake when he saw a sign for the Canadian border.
Just as road signs serve as important markers giving us direction on our journey, God has provided spiritual signs to alert us to our need for revival. One of the most significant of these signs is the presence-or absence–of brotherly love in our lives.
Understanding Two Kinds of Love
In the Greek language, we find two distinct words for love that help us understand this concept better.
First, there is “agapeo” – the love of choice, God’s love. This is beautifully illustrated in 1 John 4:20-21, which states, “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? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”
Then there is “phileo” – a warm-hearted affection. Brotherly love creates an atmosphere within a body of believers where there is a natural attraction to one another, based on a mutual passion to know and obey Christ. This atmosphere is nurtured through service, earnestness, joyfulness, prayerfulness, and generosity, as outlined in Romans 12:9-13:
“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
The Nature of Brotherly Love
Brotherly love manifests in two primary forms: affection based on natural attraction and affection based on spiritual attraction.
Natural Attraction
The natural attraction, or “philo-storgos,” refers to the kindly affection one has for kindred, especially parents or children. We love each other because we are like each other (family) or we like each other (friends). This kind of love often develops through shared experiences, personalities, or interests.
A powerful illustration of this natural brotherly love can be found in the story of Army Pfc. Ross McGinnis, a 19-year-old soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice for his brothers-in-arms. In December 2006, while perched in the gunner’s hatch of a Humvee, McGinnis noticed a grenade sail past him and into the truck where four other soldiers sat. Instead of saving himself by jumping out, he shouted a warning to his comrades and threw himself on the grenade, absorbing the impact and saving their lives. His sacrifice exemplifies the depth of brotherly love that can develop through shared experiences and commitment.
Spiritual Attraction
The spiritual dimension of brotherly love, or “philadelphia,” is based on our mutual relationship with Christ and our fellowship in Him. This love acts as a spiritual magnet, drawing hearts together because of Christ’s presence in our lives.
The degree to which we mirror Christ directly influences the degree of brotherly affection we share with one another. As one early 19th century writer put it, “Christians love each other with brotherly love, only in proportion to their holiness. If Christian love is the love of the image of Christ in His people, then it can be exercised only where that image really or apparently exists.”
The Foundation and Growth of Brotherly Love
The apostle Peter provides a beautiful progression of spiritual growth that leads to brotherly love in 2 Peter 1:4-7. Beginning with faith as the foundation, we build:
- Virtue
- Knowledge
- Self-control
- Steadfastness
- Godliness
- Brotherly affection
- Divine love
This progression shows us that godliness precedes brotherly kindness – we are naturally attracted to people who demonstrate a genuine desire for godliness.
Barriers to Brotherly Love
There are barriers that can hinder the development of brotherly love. First is The absence of personal godliness. We are called to “abhor evil” because a lack of biblical separation creates an atmosphere of hypocritical brotherly love.
Second Neglect is a barriar to brotherly love. Once Christ’s presence is evident in our lives, brotherly love must be continually nurtured and maintained. We strive in our love one for another.
Building Blocks of Brotherly Love
To cultivate genuine brotherly love, we must focus on several essential building blocks:
1. Friendliness
As Proverbs 18:24 reminds us, “A man who has friends must show himself friendly.” This includes preferring others before ourselves, demonstrating true humility.
2. Earnestness
We must approach our service to the Lord with diligence and enthusiasm. As Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15-16, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”
3. Joyfulness
This goes beyond mere happiness based on circumstances. True joy is rooted in our relationship with Christ and remains steadfast even in difficult times.
4. Prayerfulness
In times of tribulation, we must maintain constant prayer, demonstrating perseverance and fortitude.
5. Generosity
This includes both sharing with others to meet the genuine needs of fellow believers and practicing hospitality toward strangers.
A Call to Self-Examination
When brotherly love is lacking in our lives or our churches, it serves as a clear sign that spiritual revival is needed. Our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ directly reflects our love for God Himself.
The question we must ask ourselves is: Are we excelling in these building blocks of brotherly love? Are we growing in friendliness, earnestness, joyfulness, prayerfulness, and generosity?
The health of our spiritual life and our Christian community depends on our answer to these questions. Like road signs that keep us on the right path, the presence of brotherly love in our lives indicates we’re headed in the right direction on our spiritual journey.
Zambia Hunt 
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