Bond of Brothers

"I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning... the one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now."1

A bond of brothers can be defined as as a uniting force that holds brothers together. If we are in Christ, we sit in the heavenlies with Christ. Our uniting force is Christ, He is a warrior, a King that is honorable and worthy of our respect and love. We bow at the feet of our King, this unites us as a bond of brothers. It is through this Bond of unity that we are perfected in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.2 This is the greatest Glory of the Son to the Father, "I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”2

In the beginning was light and the light was the light of the world, this light was in the beginning, John writes about it, the Word that was in the beginning that created all things. John writes loving one another was an old commandment that was given as a new one. And what command did God tell man so to rule over sin, if not the command to love your brother? It was a Mosaic commandment, but why was it given as a new? It was experiential, the love of God experienced in Jesus. The commandment was to love as He loves. This knowing God, is of faith and through personal experience, we see its first fruits of loving God and our brothers. This Word was in the beginning.

"Let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father."6

This oneness or bond was the greatest glory the Son gave to the Father, greater than obedience, and He prayed that we too would glorify the Father by such unity. "Whoever says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person."4 Obedience comes through this oneness. Yes, being obedient is not easy as the love of the world and the things in the world desires after the things of the Spirit so that they are opposed to each other.5 So we must learn to rule over them, the love of money, status, position, title... we can not love self and love one another, anyone who loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Cain, rule over sin it seeks to destroy, love your brother. "Let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father."6 Abide in Jesus and love abides in You. "These things I command you, so that you will love one another."7 Yes, you see? you can't love your brother unless you abide in Jesus, it is a command like the first, abide in me and you will abide in one another.

As we conform to the image of the Son, the refiner, who is the image of the Father, His love is reflective in us. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."8 This bond of brothers, it's the greatest evangelistic tool we have, but the gates of hell prevail against it.

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."9 I am a child of God. Who are those of the Father, but those in whom the love of the Father has been perfect. "We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous."10 We know His love is perfected in us when we love our brothers.

The First commandment is to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and there is one like it, to love your brother. The Law is summed up, established, requirement met in these two commandments? because we live according tot he Spirit. This love is impossible without the Spirit of God.11 It was not the will of Jesus to drink from the cup He did, but love of the Father was perfected in Him, he put aside his will and did the will of the Father.

"I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth." Love is truth, it is the most excellent way, the greatest gift, if I have other gifts, speak in tongues, knowledge, prophecy, faith, giving, and even become a martyr without love it is nothing. It is not an easy commandment, not at all, but by this we know we have been perfected in Him and His love is poured out in our hearts. "By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments."

"His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him."9 Abiding in Him, this is the bond of brothers. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God."1

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace

...

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

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