Brotherly Love (John 15:12-17)
The Lord Jesus is instructing his disciples about the
importance of abiding in him and is informing them about several effects of
this abiding. So far he has mentioned some effects as they are expressed
towards himself (absorbing his word, praying about it, obeying it, experiencing
joy). Now he speaks in verses 12-17 about an effect that will be displayed
towards each other, that is brotherly love; in verses 18-25 he will explain an
effect concerning the world, which is opposition. So abiding in Christ has
effects in three directions: towards himself, towards other believers, and from
the world. It is the second relationship that we will consider today.
One of the strongest influences that our society has
had on the church is its concept of individualism. It stresses an individual’s
rights and privileges. It is impossible to love in a Christlike way if we
follow that emphasis. The opposite of individualism is community, and the
church is a community, a family. Jesus is reminding his disciples that they are
to live as the family of God, which means living in love for one another. This
is a clear way in which the difference between Christians and non-Christians is
seen.
At this point, we may ask why the singular noun
‘commandment’ is used by Jesus rather than the plural which he used a few lines
previously. Two possible options can be suggested. One option is that this is
the most important commandment. It is obvious that some commands are
more important than others. For example, we are told to obey human governments,
but not if their requirements cause us to disobey God. Jesus did teach that
there were degrees of greatness in the commandments on the occasion when a
lawyer asked him about the matter. The lawyer asked Jesus, ‘Teacher, which is
the great commandment in the Law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it:
You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all
the Law and the Prophets’ (Matt. 22:36-40). Jesus clearly says that love to God
and love to our fellowmen are the most important requirements.
Of course, we are to note that Jesus does not say that
other commandments are unimportant. His teaching elsewhere makes it clear that
he regarded all the commandments as important: ‘Therefore whoever relaxes one
of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be
called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them
will be called great in the kingdom of heaven’ (Matt. 5:19). We cannot
use a supposed obedience to one commandment to prevent obedience to another
commandment just to suit ourselves.
The other option is that this command to love our
brethren is the most comprehensive commandment, that if we obey it we also keep
every other commandment. The opposite would also be the case: that if we don’t
keep it, then everything else is unacceptable. Can we love God if we don’t love
our fellow Christians? The apostle John says that we cannot love God if we
don’t love other Christians: ‘If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his
brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen
cannot love God whom he has not seen’ (1 John 4:20).
Paul stresses the importance of loving relationships
in Romans 13:8-10: ‘Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one
who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not
commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not
covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You
shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a
neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.’ Paul is saying that
these various commandments are worked out in interaction with other people. His
words show that the importance of Jesus’ commandment is its comprehensiveness.
Another example can be taken from Paul’s well-known description
of love in 1 Corinthians 13. There he gives a list of spiritual activities that
are only of value if done in love. ‘If I speak in the tongues of men and of
angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I
have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I
have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but
have not love, I gain nothing.’ He suggests that it is possible to
perform many activities which seem of value but in fact are not because love
was missing.
The comprehensiveness of this commandment enables us
to see its importance. Brotherly love is not an option; it is evidence of the
genuineness of Christian behaviour. In fact, if it is absent, there cannot be
any evidence that we are Christians. For example, we could imagine a list of
things that mark Christians: certain beliefs, particular practices, brotherly
love. Christians can have wrong beliefs and still be true believers and they
can have wrong practices and remain real Christians (this is obvious from
church history). But a true Christian cannot hate or despise other Christians.
Of course, he will be grieved at some things they say or do; he may disapprove
strongly of what they say or do; he realises that sometimes other Christians
have to be disciplined for what they say or do. But love must remain.
So how do we show brotherly love? By submitting to
Christ and by imitating Christ.
Regarding brotherly love, the first point to mention
is that it can only be done if we recognise the sovereignty of Christ. Loving
fellow Christians is not an option suggested by church leaders. Jesus commands
his people to love another. Every day, we should set Christ apart as Lord in
our hearts. In doing so, we submit every aspect of our lives to his rule: our
thinking, our emotions and our actions. We ask him to enable us by his
indwelling Spirit to live as Christians inwardly as well as outwardly. Love is
an inward attitude and feeling that often reveals itself in actions. But it
does not exist merely in outward actions when physical contact is made. So we
submit to Christ and ask him to help us love our brethren.
We have to ask for his help because we are still
sinful. There is no need to pray for brotherly love in heaven. There is harmony
there, not only of what they believe, but also of what they think of one
another. Here that is not the case. Every Christian should say, ‘The biggest
obstacle to increase of brotherly love is in me.’ I sense pride,
self-centredness, wrong assessments, misunderstandings, confusion, lack of
knowledge and other features in myself which can sadly affect brotherly love.
Is it not true that even trivial arguments often persist because one party does
not wish to lose face even although he knows he was wrong?
The manner of Christian love – sacrificial response
Jesus says that his disciples are to love one another
is a manner similar to how he loved them. There are many ways in which we can
think about the love of Jesus. For example, his love was a personal one because
he loved them individually. Further, his love was a persevering one because he
put up with all their failures and apparent indifference to his teaching. His
love was also very practical in the sense that he did things for them such as
washing their feet. But here Jesus stresses the sacrificial nature of his love.
First, I think Jesus is saying that they should love
one another because he died for them all. It is inconceivable that they cannot
love someone whom Jesus loves, whatever their faults. Jesus knew a lot more
about them than the faults that fellow disciples could see. These faults did
not stop him loving them and our awareness of faults should not prevent us loving
them.
Second, Jesus is saying that they should love one
another in giving themselves for one another. Obviously they cannot do so to
the degree that Jesus did. But there are ways in which they can follow Christ’s
example. They can do good to one another, they can pray for one another.
Praying lovingly for a Christian who has offended us is costly, but it is
Christlike. Jesus prayed for headstrong, self-confident Peter; when we see such
behaviour in believers we should pray earnestly for their restoration.
The manner of Christian love – recognise their status
Jesus reminds his disciples that he has not treated
them as mere servants only. They were also his friends, although this does not
mean that they ceased to be servants. Jesus revealed his friendship to his
disciples by revealing to them what the Father had told him to say. Jesus had
declared unto them the name of the Father and had taught them about his
character. He had told them many details about the Father. Let us briefly note
some of them: the Father forgives sinners (the story of the prodigal son); the
Father intends to give the kingdom to his little flock (Luke 12:32); the Father
hears and answers prayers of his children (Matt. 6:6); the Father provides for
our daily needs (Matt. 6:32); the Father protects his people (John 10:29). In
addition to these functions, there is also the variety of roles of the Father
that Jesus describes in this upper room teaching.
Friendship is obviously an act of love. Imitating the
Friend of sinners includes speaking about the matters that he spoke about.
Therefore we should speak to fellow believers about the purposes and promises
of God as well as about our own experience of his grace. Friends have
shared interests, mutual concerns and common desires.
In addition to sacrificial acts and proper speech
Jesus mentions a third way of love.
The manner of Christian love – appreciate their
contribution
Jesus tells his disciples that he chose them for
particular roles. ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you
that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that
whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you’ (John 15:16).
I don’t think that Jesus is referring to election here but to the call
that he gave to these disciples to be his apostles. They were selected for a
common purpose and it would be absurd for each of them not to love the others
who shared the task.
None of us are called to be apostles. Yet each of us
has been given particular gifts by Christ to use in his service. Some of these
gifts are more prominent than others. But none of the gifts are to be ignored
or despised. Each needs to be appreciated by the others. Other believers are to
love them for the contribution they are making to the increase of the Saviour’s
kingdom. Obviously they will pray for them, and the Saviour says here that the
Father will answer their prayers when this is their outlook.
Abiding in Christ, as we saw previously, means
absorbing his word, praying about it, practising it, and experiencing joy. A
simple, straightforward lifestyle. Similarly, the expression of brotherly love
is simple and straightforward. We love other believers by doing things for
them, by speaking to them about the things of the kingdom, and by appreciating
their contribution to Christ’s cause. Sadly, as we know, simplicity does not
mean implementation. Thankfully, we have the Holy Spirit to enable us to do so.
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