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Pastor Lud Golz
Pastor Lud Golz

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  Home | Transcript Archive | May | May 17, 2010

Monday, May 17, 2010

We have studied 1st Thessalonians 4:9-10, trying to understand how we can love one another more and more. Remember, Paul says in verse 9, “Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.”  

The words, “Brotherly love,” come from the word “phileo,” which means the kind of love brothers and sisters have for each other in a family. “Brotherly love” then would take that concept and apply it to brothers and sister in the Christian family. Paul said that he didn’t have to write them about this because God had taught them to love each other with an “agape” kind of love. 
 
This is what Jesus referred to in John 13:34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Our love for each other is to be the distinguishing characteristic by which the watching world recognizes us to be Christians. 
 
Phileo love is human in nature. Agape love has divine roots. Phileo love can increase in intensity and in sphere of influence. The Thessalonian Christians were already known for their phileo love for the Christians throughout Macedonia. But since they have been taught by God to love each other with an agape kind of love, and are having that kind of love continuously poured into their hearts, they have the capacity to love the brothers and sisters in the faith more and more. That is, with a greater intensity and sphere of influence. More on this in our next visit.
 

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