Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them–those who are mistreated–since you yourselves are in the body also.
Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”So we may boldly say:
“The LORD is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?”
My Greek mindset often reverts to secular standards, seeking to measure my walk with God by obtaining an A+ in bible knowledge. Scripture known but at rest and unapplied is just information. If that information never produces transformation evidenced by a Spirit led life, as James put it, is dead. I’m convinced that someday there will be a tragic biblical debate just inside the gates of Hell between agonized screams and gnashing of teeth, where scripture, retained in a mind that proudly held it captive for years for the honor some would give it for simply being there, is shouted to a laughing Satan as an appeal for release. (an illustration, not my eschatology).
Let brotherly love continue. If I heard that a famous Christian leader was in my town, on the streets, hungry and without money, food or a place to stay, I would hurry to take them in. I might even find a traffic jam of similarly motivated Christians when I got there. But this morning I am not motivated to go search for some unknown someone in that same circumstance, although I am certain a brief search would reveal them nearby. Authentic love needs no reward. Oh, I’ve been sent by the Lord to the least of the earth many times to minister to them, but I don’t think that reveals my heart as purely as what I do on the ordinary days of my life toward the ordinary people in my life.
In this verse the Greek word translated as love is philadelphia. It means the kind of love that exists between brothers and sisters or long time friends. Though it seems beyond me, this verse is challenging me to treat all my brothers and sisters in Christ with the same sustained and forgiving and knowing it will never end affection as I do my own siblings. To be certain I get it, God has given me extreme examples saying — Do not forget …… strangers…..Remember…. prisoners ….those who are mistreated… Wow! On my ordinary days when no one is looking I do not treat strangers as I would my family. I heard the other day that one of my sisters had a truckload of items to carry into her home, so I called and offered to help. That’s philadelphia love. Just show up and help. Seek the opportunity to help. It’s not enough for me to say I’d help if asked. How will a stranger find me to ask?
I knew to help my sister because I keep myself aware of my family’s lives. …..since you yourselves are in the body also. In Christ, I have a new and larger family into which God Himself has adopted me. I need to open my eyes to the needs of His other children. I’m sure there are a truckload of them.
Stephen Faulkner 