Brotherly Kindness

2 Peter 1:5,6 (NKJV)
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

Throughout this these verses, Peter has told us the godly qualities that we need to add to our faith in order to exemplify Christ. We now come to the means by which we need to display virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance and godliness. In I Corinthians 13:2b, we are told that “without love we are nothing”. Since God is love and love is the greatest quality of God that we can show to Him and others. Peter says that without love we are nothing. Love must then be an amazingly important part of God’s plan.

Peter starts with brotherly kindness or love, in vs. 7. The Greek word used here is ‘philadelphia’ or brotherly love. We need to show love amongst our family first. If we cannot love our brothers and sisters in Christ, how can we love people in a world that is antagonistic to God and to His children.

First of all, brotherly love is not always easy. We all have flaws and weaknesses and not all personalities work well together. But when we choose to handle others in love, the difficulties can be worked out. True brotherly love is completely selfless. Paul says, “[Be] kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another,11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord”, (Romans 12:10-11, NKJV). Giving preference to others first, many times, means self sacrifice and denial of our own desires for the sake of another. We need to actively and fervently seek to love each other. Some people are not easy to respond to in love, so in order to respond as Christ did, we need to pursue such a desire with all fervency. God can give you the ability to love the other person(s), just ask Him. Be patient and keep asking, this ability will probably not come over night.

Paul says, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart”, (1 Peter 1:22, NKJV). The only we can love others consistently, in the way that God desires, is by obeying Him in all purity. Only a heart of purity and selflessness wants what is best for the other and seeks their good first. A heart set on God and pleasing Him in fullness can accomplish this in His power.

Thoughts, comments, objections, prayer requests.



Daniel A. Smith