Do You Love God? (Your Brother?) -- 1/28/07 (Eternal Realities)

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Do You Love God?
(Do You Love Your Brother?)

I. Who Is My Brother?

Let’s begin with a question that some of you have been asking: How are we to understand the word "brethren" (brothers) in I John? We find this term 14 times in this little letter. Does John use the word to refer to Christian brothers and sisters, to those who share the life of Christ? Or does he intend us to understand "brother" as referring to all of our fellow-men? When we say that love for the brothers is a test of life, revealing whether or not we have the life of God within us, what do we mean by the word "brother"?

Actually, of those 14 uses of the word "brother," two speak of a literal brother. We find this in 3:12, where John speaks of Cain killing his brother, because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s deeds were righteous. Then two more occurrences of the term "brother" are used by John to address his readers. And that raises a question. In 2:7 and 3:13, where John addresses his readers as "brethren," to whom is he speaking? 5:13, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life…" It seems quite clear that John is writing to Christians, to believers, to those who at least profess to have the life of Christ. He is not writing for a general audience, but he is writing to the family of God. So when he uses "brother" in 2:7 and 3:12, the term must refer to Christians, and not to his fellow-man in general. Therefore, if we are to take the other occurrences of the term "brother" as referring to our fellow-man rather than to Christian brothers and sisters, we must have some compelling reason for doing so. Are you with me?

In addition to these references to love for the brethren, five times in this letter John speaks of loving one another…

3:11… For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
3:23… And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
4:7… Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
4:11-12… Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

So to whom does this phrase "one another" apply? Is it a reference to our fellow-man, or to fellow-Christians?

I found that the terms "brother" and "brethren" are used 327 times in the New Testament. Of course, a number of those references are to physical, blood brothers, but most speak of some kind of kinship beyond the physical.

1. Jesus’ Use of "Brother"

First of all, let’s consider the way our Lord Jesus used the term "brother." You can find most of the references in the Gospel of Matthew. There are only a handful that are not recorded by Matthew. We won’t look at all of them, but as some representative examples…
Mat 5:21-24… Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24. Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Mat 7:3-5… And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Now in these passages, it would seem fitting that "brother" could refer to any human being, regardless of his or her spiritual condition. But now let’s look at some others…
Mat 18:15-17… Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.

Here Jesus seems to be speaking of a different situation. This "brother" has a special relationship with those in the church, in the assembly. "Brother" is set over against "a heathen man and a publican." Nevertheless go down just a few verses to Matt. 18:21, "Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how oft shall my bother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?" We are not told who Peter had in mind by "brother." At this time, I’m not sure he understood the kind of relationship Jesus was speaking of in verses 15-17. And then at the end of the chapter, as the conclusion to His parable, Jesus said, "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses" (18:35). It is difficult to see how Jesus would be restricting this to only fellow-Christians. But the truth is – we are not given much to work with, when it comes to deciding.

Now come to Matt. 12:46-50…
While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49. And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50. For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Here Jesus gives us a very pointed statement concerning the identity of our spiritual family. Jesus boldly said that everyone who does the will the Father in heaven is His brother, sister, and mother (a part of His family). This phrase "do the will of my Father which is in heaven" is used by Jesus in Matt. 7:21, where He says that the person who does the will of His Father is the one who will enter into the Kingdom. It is quite clear that here in Matt. 12 Jesus uses the term "brother" to refer to what we would term a Christian.

We find the same thing in Matt. 23, where Jesus tells His followers not to follow the example of the scribes and Pharisees, who wear special clothing, love the uppermost rooms at the feasts, and love special greetings. Jesus said that they did all those things in gain the applause of other men. Now listen to what Jesus says in 23:8, "But be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren." While verse 1 tells us that He was speaking to the multitude and to His disciples, it seems quite clear that He is designating His disciples with these words.

So we can see that Jesus certainly gave "brother" a very restricted meaning at times. However, at other times we can’t be so sure that it doesn’t mean "fellow-man."

2. Acts and the Epistles

In the book of Acts the term "brother" speaks of some kind of spiritual kinship. However, it is not always used of Christians; sometimes it designates Jewish brethren. We see the classic example of this in Rom. 9:3, "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:" Paul obviously did not consider his kinsmen according to the flesh to be his brothers in Christ, but he did have a special relationship with them, and he used the term "brethren" to designate that relationship.

For the most part, the term "brother" is used by the writers of the New Testament epistles to speak of a brother in Christ. We can find dozens, if not hundreds, of such references. Take the letter to the Philippians for an example…
Phil 1:12 "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel
Phil 1:14 "And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear
Phil 2:25 "Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants
Phil 3:1 "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe
Phil 3:13 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before
Phil 3:17 "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample
Phil 4:1 "Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved
Phil 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things
Phil 4:21 "Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.
Clearly, Paul is speaking of his Christian brothers and sisters, when he uses the terms "brethren" and "brother."

3. John’s Use of "Brother"

So what about John? It is interesting that in the Gospel of John, while "brother" is used a few times to refer to a literal, physical brother, it is used only twice in a spiritual sense…
John 20:17… Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
John 21:23… Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee.

In both of these occurrences, it seems quite clear that Jesus is talking about His own followers, those who are trusting and clinging to Him. This, of course, is after the crucifixion. The ranks had been thinned down, but there was a group of followers who remained true to Jesus, despite all the confusion.

And then come to III John, where we find the term used three times. First, let’s read 2-5…
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 5. Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

Clearly, the brothers are those who share the life of Christ. And then in verse 10, "Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church." Notice that Diotrophes is guilty of casting the brethren out of the church (see also the context of II John 9-10).

And what other book did John write? Yes, the book of Revelation. Let’s look at its occurrences there…
1:9… I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ
6:11… And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled
12:10… And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night
19:10… And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy
22:9… Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

Nothing could be clearer than the fact that the term "brother" is not used here to speak of one’s fellow-man, but of the brother in Christ. In that last reference, the application is a bit wider, including the Old Testament prophets as well (all a part of God’s kingdom).

And that brings us back to I John. The term "brother"appears in the following places…
2:7… Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. [those whom John is addressing; surely fellow-Chrstians, as seen in 5:13]
2:9-11… He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. [this is what we are trying to determine]
3:10… In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. [still trying to determine]
3:12-17… Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 13. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him.. [not specified, but in verse 13, it is again "brothers" that are addressed]
4:20-21… If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21. And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
5:16… If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

In all of these passages, the key is that John uses this term to identify the audience he is addressing, and that audience consists of fellow-believers, of those that have believed on the name of the Son of God (5:13).

So we must conclude that "brother" in I John is speaking of believers, those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ. However, this does not mean that we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ only. There can be no doubt that Jesus said we are to love our neighbor and that He further defined our neighbor as the one who is in need, as we will see. Nevertheless, in this letter, John speaks specifically of brothers and sisters in Christ.

II. Now… Back to the Command to Love

1. The Greatest Commandment Plus…

Last week we read that great foundational passage from Deuteronomy 6. Let’s read it again this morning, Deut. 6:4-5… "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." There it is. God commands us to love Him with everything we have and everything we are. There is no command more basic and foundational than this one – Love God, the One and true God, and love Him with all your heart, soul, and strength. Our Lord Jesus confirmed that this is indeed the command upon which all other commands rest. Let’s read it in Matt. 22:34-37…
But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Did you hear that? When asked which was the greatest command of all, Jesus clearly said that the greatest command is this: Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind (mind/strength). So we find that the Old and New Testaments agree totally on what is the greatest command for all mankind. The living Lord has declared it. Surely that is good enough for us.

So now let me ask us the inevitable question: "Do you love God?" That is not a trick question. It is simple and direct. Simply, "Do you love God?" Having asked that question, let me ask a second question that must be considered in answering the first. "How do you know if you love God?" Or, if you say that you do love God, "How do you know?" Of course, you might say, "God knows my heart, and He knows that I love Him." It is very difficult to argue with that kind of thinking. However, did God Himself leave us some direction in determining whether or not we love Him?

Go back to Jesus and the Pharisee lawyer who asked Him the question: "What is the greatest commandment"? When we read these verses from Matthew 22, many of you noticed immediately that I quit reading in the middle of the passage. While Jesus did indeed tell us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all that we have and all that we are, He said more. He declared what was the greatest commandment, but He didn’t stop there. Let’s read His complete answer in Mt. 22:37-40…
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38. This is the first and great commandment. 39. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Jesus added to the commandment to love God a second which is like it, "Love your neighbor as yourself." This is one of the most well-known sayings of Jesus. Unfortunately, it is also one of the least understood.

2. Why a Second Commandment?

Here is the question we must ask ourselves: "Why did Jesus add this second commandment, when the lawyer asked only for the greatest?" The lawyer expected Jesus to give one commandment, but Jesus quickly added a second. Notice that He said the second commandment was like the first. In addition, He said that all the law and the prophets (that is, all of scripture) hang on those two commandments. In other words, these two commandments are the basis for the entire Bible, for all the other commands of scripture. Jesus didn’t say all the other commands are based on just the greatest command, that command to love God, but upon these two commands – the commands to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself.

So why did Jesus add the second commandment? When you think about it for a while, it seems rather obvious. Jesus knew the deceptive nature of the heart. How easy it is for any one of us to say, "Yes, I love God." Who is going to say, "No, you do not love God"? After all, it’s a personal matter. No one else can see inside my heart. As a matter of fact, at times I don’t see my own heart very well. I can even fool myself into believing that I love God. Surely there must be some test which will help me determine whether I truly love God, or whether I am just kidding myself. Is not the second commandment the test? If I love God, I will love my neighbor as myself? You may say, "Jesus didn’t say that." Not in so many words, but is that not what He is saying?

It is interesting that the command to love our neighbor is mentioned three times after Jesus gave the command…
Rom 13:9-10 "For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law
Gal 5:14 "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself
James 2:8 "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.

But the command to love God is not mentioned at all in the rest of the New Testament (beyond the Gospels and the words of Jesus). Isn’t that amazing. If this is the foundational command, then why doesn’t Peter, James, John, or Paul reinforce it again and again? Furthermore, we just read that both Paul and James affirm that to love one’s neighbor is the fulfillment of the whole law. How can that be? Jesus said this was the second command, but not the greatest command. The greatest command is to love God. Did Paul and James miss something somewhere?

Think about it. Both Paul and James understood that no one can love his neighbor unless he firsts loves God. But what about the person who loves the people around him, but who does not love God? There is no such person. You may try to parade a dozen such people in front of me, but I am telling you on the basis of God’s Word that it is impossible to love your neighbor and not love God.

Why is this? Let’s read Rom. 5:3-5…
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4. And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5. And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Did you catch that? To the believers in Rome, Paul says that God has shed abroad His love in their hearts. Unless God puts His love in our hearts, it is impossible for us to love God. Remember that strong passage we read from Rom. 3:10-18, where Paul says that no one seeks God, that no one is good, that there is none righteous? Until God makes us alive by His Spirit, even our best deeds are like filthy rags. No man outside of Christ loves God or his neighbor. God’s love is foreign to the unregenerate man. Remember, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (I John 4:10).

So I strongly suggest to you that in giving the second commandment Jesus was sharing with us a way to test our love for God. That is not to say that the only reason we love our neighbor is to test our love for God. Nevertheless, we desperately need this test, because this world (including the professing church) is full of people who have fooled themselves into believing that they love God. And let us not kid ourselves – some of us could be among them.

3. John’s Command to Love the Brother

So now let’s come to I John. Much of I John is simply an extension of Jesus’ command to love God and our neighbor. The test that Jesus laid down in Matthew 22 is expanded and explained more fully by this little letter. Keep in mind what we have said about Jesus’ teaching. The implications are twofold…

1. No one can love his neighbor unless he loves God. (Remember the order of the commandments)
2. The one who does not love his neighbor does not love God.

First of all, let’s find that first truth in I John. Does John teach us that no one can love his neighbor unless he loves God? Remember, no one can love with God’s love unless God Himself has shed abroad that love in His heart by the Holy Spirit which He has given. Now listen to I John 3:14, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." In other words, our love for others (specifically for the brothers) is proof that God has put His love in us by His Spirit. To pass from death unto life, is to have received life by the quickening of God’s Spirit. The love for the brethren is concrete evidence that we have received this new life from God.

But the primary burden of I John is to emphasize that second truth – that the one who does not love his neighbor does not love God. Let’s take a few moments this morning to look at the first passage in this letter where John really begins to deal with this issue. Let’s read I John 2:7-11…
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

So what is this commandment, which is both old and new? There is no question in my mind that John is speaking of what Jesus Himself referred to as a new commandment. John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." We talked about it a bit two weeks ago.

So how is it an old commandment? First of all, it is old because it is based in the Old Testament scriptures, specifically Lev. 19:18, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." John says the old commandment is the word which he have heard from the beginning. Perhaps he is referring to the fact that most of them had heard that commandment from the time they were kids. Or, maybe he has in mind the fact that they had heard it from the beginning of their association with Jesus. Either way, we can see that it is an old commandment.

But then John turns around and says that it is a new commandment. It is new in that Jesus gave it new depth and clarity by saying, "Love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." As Jesus demonstrated how He loved them, it became much more difficult for them to kid themselves about what it meant to love one another. Is this not what John had in mind when he gave his reason for referring to it as a new commandment – "because the darkness is now past, and the true light now shineth"? When Jesus so defined His commandment to love one another, the darkness, the confusion, that shrouded the meaning of love was taken away and the true light began to shine. Jesus shone His light on this commandment to love one another.

With that introduction, John then comes to his main point. Verse 9, "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now." In other words, if you say that you have fellowship with God and hate your brother, you don’t know what you’re talking about. You are in darkness. This truth is reinforced in I John a number of times. Let’s read it…
2:11… But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes
3:10… In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
3:14b15… He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
3:17… But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him.
4:8… He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
4:20… If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen.

Let’s think it through again. How easy it is to say, "I love God," but where’s the proof? Where is the evidence that my words are true? The evidence is in my love for the brethren. On the negative side, if I don’t love the brethren, then I don’t love God, no matter how loudly I may protest and insist that I do love God. On the positive side, when I love the brethren, I prove that I do indeed love God. Let’s look at that positive side…
2:10… He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
3:14a… We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.
4:7… Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
4:12… No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
4:16… And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

John leaves no question about it – love for the brethren is evidence that a person loves God. Lack of love for the brethren is proof that a person does not love God, regardless of what he says with his lips.

Conclusion

So our Lord Jesus gave us the command "Love your neighbor as yourself" as a way of testing the genuineness of our claim to love God. With that background, John takes that test and applies it specifically to love for fellow-Christians. John’s teaching does not change the teaching of Jesus in any way. If we were to break down the concept of neighbor, we could divide into the two kinds of people there are on earth – Christians and non-Christians. John emphasizes that this love will first be seen in love for our fellow-Christians. Why is that? Because those are the people to whom we are closest. They are the ones with whom we share the most. Therefore this is where our love for God will be tested first and most completely.

By the way, perhaps some of you are thinking: "Well, that isn’t true in my life. Christians are not the people to whom I am closest." If not, you have every reason to question your relationship with God. With the possible exception of marriage, how can any human relationship approach the closeness of the brother/sisters relationships in Christ? How could we ever share anything greater than the life of Jesus Christ? If you find yourself closer to non-believers than to believers, fall on your knees and ask God to search your heart.

Back to John’s emphasis on loving the brothers… When a child is born, he has to learn how to relate to other people in this world. That process begins within his own family. And so it is with the person who is born into the Kingdom of God. His or her relationships with people in the world begin with his own family, his brothers and sisters in Christ. Surely this is why John focuses on this brother to brother (and sister to sister) relationships.

So bearing in mind that our love or hatred for our brothers and sisters in the family of God is a test of knowing God, I ask you, "Do you love your brother?" May we hear the Lord asking us that question this week. The answer is very important, for if you don’t love your brother, then you don’t love God.