Romans 12:10 NKJV: “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;”
In Romans 12, apostle Paul lays down guidelines to have healthy, loving relationships with one another within the church. One of those guidelines is found in verse 10. Life in this sinful world is difficult, and the church has a unique opportunity to be a life-giving, burden-lifting place.
‘Affection’ and ‘brotherly love’ are words laden with emotion. Philostorgoi (Greek word for familial love) refers to a comfortable, at-home feeling. The kind that we feel for our parents, children, or spouses. When we think or spend time with family, doesn’t it give us a warm, comfortable feeling? That’s the kind of ‘love’ Paul is talking about. That’s the kind of love we should have towards fellow believers in church.
Does it sound unimaginably hard? Sure, it does. How can we love someone else the way we do our family? But the commands of God are not meant to be doable in our own strength. That’s where supernatural grace comes in. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26) Imagine when someone bullies our younger brother/sister, the whole family comes to their rescue. In the same manner, we ought to show each other brotherly love (Philadelphia in Greek).
Paul’s second exhortation is: ‘in honor giving preference to one another’. Do we honour each other with an underlying ulterior motive? Or should we honour simply because we are commanded to? As believers, we honour each other because we are all created in Yahweh’s (God’s) image. Because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Because it is more satisfying to elevate someone else rather than ourselves.
Why is all of this so important?
1. Because God commands us to love and honour one another.
2. It reflects the reality of our new nature in Christ (as born-again believers).
Let us desire today to experience God’s love for us, personally. Because when we do, we will be able to have affection for God’s people. We will be able to love and honour them like our Lord Jesus did.
