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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
April 19
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Today's Pathway:
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In today's verses Paul continues with his brief edicts concerning the proper behavior of believers. In verses 10-11 he speaks of the relationship that brothers and sisters in Christ should have with each other. The words "kindly affectioned" are translated from a compound Greek word "Philostorgos". Philos is the affectionate love that exists between friends. Storgos refers to the tender affection among family members. It speaks of an "instinctive" affection, like that which parents and children feel toward one another. As Christians we are brothers and sisters to each other because we have the same Heavenly Father and have been adopted into His family. Therefore, we should be able to be "friends'', and there should be a natural affection that exists between us. Paul says that this affection should include "brotherly love". Bruce Hurt explained it this way:
"Remember that Christianity forged a radical relationship in Christ wherein believing Greeks and Jews, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarians, Scythians, slaves and freemen, men and women were now all one in their Lord. Such a diverse cultural community would have a continual need for emphasis on love of the brethren. As Christians we have become brothers and sisters in the community of faith. Our love is not just a passive disposition of fondness, but manifests itself in overt acts of kindness toward the brethren."
Paul then says that part of this affection would include "in honour preferring one another". "Prefer" literally means "to lead the way", and carries with it the idea of showing deference. We as believers are to lead the way in showing honor to our fellow Christians. In other words, we need to be more concerned about our fellow church members than we are about ourselves. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:3,
"In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."
Just as a human family should rally around its members when a need arises, so the family of God should do the same, even though it might cost us some time or effort. We need to learn to defer our personal needs so that we can assist with the problems that others are facing. It is worth noting that Paul says that this is to be done "one to another". This means that all the church should be looking out for the needs of all the others. This is not a one-way street, where some people do all the ministering and others do all the receiving. We all need to be honoring each other, and meeting their needs as they arise.
In verse 11 Paul mentions three more characteristics that believers should have in this area. First he mentions "not slothful in business". The term "business" does not mean what we would normally think of it meaning today. It is the same word that is translated "diligence" in Romans 12:8. Paul is saying that we should not be lazy when it comes to fulfilling our responsibility to minister to others. Charles Cranfield wrote this:
"Paul is warning us against that attitude which seeks to get by with as little work and inconvenience as possible, which shrinks from dust and heat and resents the necessity for any exertion as a burden and imposition.”
Instead of being slothful we should have a fervent spirit. "Fervent" means "boiling over". We should be genuinely excited in our innermost being to be able to help out our brothers in Christ. This will happen when we remember that when we are ministering to our fellow Christians we are actually "serving the Lord." Colossians 3:23 states,
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men."
When we understand that our service to our spiritual brethren is actually service to our Lord, it will help us to fervently carry out our responsibilities to them.
Our fellow church members are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should love them, honor them, and faithfully minister to them. How are we doing in those areas?
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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