Today we will conclude our consideration of the particulars of Christian character development. We have noticed that Peter is very specific concerning what character qualities we should seek to develop as a Christian if we are going to progress toward Christ-likeness (vs. 5-7). He seems to list them in a particular order. Faith comes first, followed by goodness, then knowledge, to which we add self-control, then perseverance, then godliness, then brotherly kindness, and finally, love.
The first three character qualities (faith, goodness, and knowledge) have to do with my relationship with the God above me. The second three (self-control, perseverance, and godliness) have to do with my relationship with the world about me. The last two character qualities (brotherly kindness and love) have to with my relationship with the people around me. Today, we will look to the last two character qualities of brotherly kindness and love.
1. Brotherly Kindness - v. 7
The word that Peter uses here is the Greek word "phileo," which is the word used in the name of the church mentioned in the book of Revelation, the church at Philadelphia. "Phileo" is one of the words the Greeks used when speaking of love. In fact, we have a city here in the United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which is commonly called, "the city of brotherly love," because "phileo" refers to a love that is based on a family relationship or connection. This is a love that Christians, therefore, should have for one another, since we are all part of the same family, the family of God.
As illustrated by the testimony of our guys who went to Sri Lanka, when you are part of the family of God, you can literally journey half-way around the world and find that you have an instant connection with the believers you find there. Anyone who has traveled on a mission trip or simply on a vacation where you stopped to worship with others on the Lord’s Day can testify to this. It’s a wonderful thing.
But it is a sad fact that often, members of God’s family get along more lovingly with brothers or sisters they do not know personally, than they do with those they do know in their own country, community or even, their own church. As the old poem expresses it . . . "To dwell in love with saints above, oh will, one day, be glory; But to dwell below with saints we know, well that’s a different story!"
Which is why Peter tells us that we need to "make every effort" (v. 5) to add this character quality to our lives as believers. When it comes to forgiveness, to reconciliation, to taking the initiative to reach out and help, to bearing one another’s burdens, to encouraging one another, to serving one another, and to being kind to one another, we can sometimes find it a difficult task. How can we be helped to develop this character quality in our lives, even when it comes to that brother or sister in Christ with whom we might have difficulty?
"Now you can have sincere love for each other as brothers and sisters because you were cleansed from your sins when you accepted the truth of the Good News. So see to it that you really do love each other intensely with all your hearts. For you have been born again. Your new life did not come from your earthly parents because the life they gave you will end in death. But this new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the prophet says, ‘People are like grass that dies away; their beauty fades as quickly as the beauty of wildflowers. The grass withers, and the flowers fall away. But the word of the Lord will last forever.’ And that word is the Good News that was preached to you. So get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit. Don’t just pretend to be good! Be done with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbing. You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness."
- 1 Peter 1:22-2:3 (NLT)
A. Resolve to allow God’s Word to change you from within - 1:22
B. Remember what you have in common - 1:23
C. Recognize the brevity of life - 1:24
D. Rely on the stability of God’s Word - 1:25
E. Realize your need to change and grow - 2:1-3
Conflict is often how God works His purposes out in our lives. But that will only happen if we obey and apply the principles of His Word.
2. Love - v. 7
While the word, "phileo," which is translated ‘brotherly kindness," relates to a love based on a common bond or relationship, the word used by Peter here, "agape," is a love that does not require a connection or relationship. In fact, "agape" describes a love that one has for another, even though they are not connected, or even though the other party is antagonistic toward you. "Agape" is a love Christians are to have for those who are not part of God’s family. This is the word used to describe God’s love for an unbelieving world.
"God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die."
- John 3:16 (CEV)
"We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him."
- Romans 5:7-8 (The Message)
It is this kind of love that should motivate us to reach out to an unbelieving world, even as God has done through Christ.
Paul explains this in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, where he speaks of the Christian’s call to be an "ambassador for Christ" and proclaim the "message of reconciliation" to a lost world.
"Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love
has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision
is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone.
That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own."
- 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (The Message)
It was this love that motivated our team who went to Sri Lanka. They went to a place that was unfamiliar, to a people with whom they had no connection. What’s more, they went to a place that is predominately Hindu, Buddhist, and Moslem. There was a great chance that they would encounter trouble for their efforts because they were, first, Americans, and second, Christians. Yet they went and they were ambassadors for Christ. There is no telling what doors for the spread of the Gospel will open up in that country as a result.
Likewise, we must be willing to be ambassadors for Christ here at home. Sometimes, it seems, Christians have a harder time being a witness for Christ with those they know, then with those who they do not know. Maybe the problem is not that we know them, but that they know us.
"Sometimes, the problem with seeing people come to Christ is that they do not know a Christian. Other times, the problem is that they do know a Christian."
- Tom Wolf
What’s the solution? The unbeliever needs to get to know a Christian who behaves like a Christian. This is Peter’s point here. If we are developing Christ-like character, adding to our faith, goodness, and knowledge, and self-control, and perseverance, and godliness, and brotherly kindness, and then with love attempt to reach out beyond our comfort zone to others, they will more be more likely to receive our message.
"More people have been brought into the church by the kindness of
real Christian love than by all the theological arguments in the world"
- William Barclay
Conclusion:
A little boy had accompanied his sister to the grand opening of a department store. As they walked down an aisle, he knocked over a rack of shoes. The manager of the store became irate. It was opening day. The crowds were large. The owners were in the store. The manager stared for a moment, then curtly said, "get him to pick them up." The boy froze. The sister paused. The nearby shoppers were stunned.
The sister fell to her knees and began to pick up the shoes and placed them back on the rack. It wasn’t long before her brother joined her. Within minutes they both had put all the shoes away. As she stood lifting her brother to his feet, she turned to the store manager and said, "mister, you’ve got to love him into it."
That’s what Peter is telling us here. Whether it’s a brother or sister in Christ I am relating to or a person who does not yet know Him, if a difference is going to be made, we’ve got to love them into it.
