DEVOTED!
- UnstoppableRevKev
- Oct 8
- 6 min read
📖Scripture:
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.” Romans 12:9-10
🔎Examination:
In 1 Peter 1:22, the Apostle Peter writes that purification by obedience to the truth manifests “unto sincere brotherly love.” The Greek term philadelphia (φιλαδελφία, G5360) combines philos (“affection, friendship”) and adelphos (“brother”). It is familial love among the redeemed household of God — saints who share surrender to the will of the one Father, salvation in Christ Jesus, the one LORD, and regeneration by the one Holy Spirit, into our one baptism/identity (Eph 4:4-6).
“Sincere” translates anypokritos (ἀνυπόκριτος, G505), literally “without play-acting.” The world’s love is superficial, convenient, cosmetic, and hypocritical — sentimental tolerance masking selfish agendas and self-interest. True brotherly love is unfeigned, springing up from a purified heart. It neither flatters nor manipulates but seeks the other’s holiness.
Obedience to the truth produces this devoted love because truth reveals our shared dependence on grace. We cannot look down on those for whom Christ died without denying Christ and the cross. Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
This brotherly affection is unlike superficial worldly camaraderie and fraternity. It is not “niceness”; it is covenant loyalty expressed as DEVOTION. The saints love one another because they love the Head (Christ) to whom all belong. This isn’t reading into Scripture; this is the biblical testimony of covenant relationship seen from Genesis to Revelation. When one member suffers, all suffer; when one rejoices, all rejoice (1 Cor 12:26).
“Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… All the faithful were together and had everything in common.” Acts 2:41-44
Historically, this philadelphia distinguished the early Church from pagan society. While Rome discarded infants, Christians rescued them. While society devalued women, Christianity respected them. Where the world divides by skin color, economic class, and gender, the Church proclaims unity in Christ. This supernatural familial bond flows from the same purification Peter described.
Modern Western religiosity has largely lost this. Individualism has replaced covenantal belonging and service; selfish, convenient volunteerism has replaced devoted covenant fellowship. People “attend” churches like secret shoppers and selfish consumers, evaluating programs instead of submitting to shepherds. This fragmentation is no mere sociological trend; it is abject theological rebellion. Scripture commands the saints to love one another fervently — not superficially, sporadically, or conditionally.
Cults and heretical systems counterfeit authentic, biblical, brotherly love. The Jehovah’s Witnesses and LDS communities foster intense social cohesion — but their “brotherhood” is built on lies, deception, enforced conformity, and the idolatrous doctrines of demons.
True philadelphia cannot exist where the TRUTH is denied. Likewise, emotionalistic movements like Bethel or Hillsong simulate affection through artificial atmosphere, but absent is the Word and its authority; such “love” dissolves when conviction appears. It's no wonder the world is upside-down today. People everywhere advocate for peace at all costs (even through violence and oppression); meanwhile, they deny the objective truth of God's word.
“Peace if possible, truth at all costs” -Martin Luther (1483-1546 A.D.)
Paul’s admonition in Romans 12:9-10 reveals the nature of sincere love: it abhors evil and clings to good. The Greek apostugeō (ἀποστυγέω, “to hate utterly,” G655) and kollaō (κολλάω, “to glue oneself to,” G2853) indicate passionate moral discernment. Genuine brotherly love cannot coexist with moral indifference. To tolerate sin in the name of love is to betray both truth and souls.
Therefore, the Church’s mutual affection must be grounded in holiness. For it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” When saints exhort, rebuke, and restore one another (Gal 6:1), they/we display sincere brotherly love. When pastors guard the flock from ravenous wolves, they prove love’s steadfast sincerity.
Despite what the Bill Mahers of the world suggest, such love is neither obvious nor natural for depraved humanity. It is the fruit of supernatural regeneration. The unregenerate may show sentiment but not philadelphia, because they lack the purified heart required. The saints love because they are regenerate via the imperishable seed of God's WORD; we forgive because we have been forgiven; we serve because we have been served by the incarnate Christ who “came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45).
“Sincere brotherly love” is both the evidence and means of sanctification. As saints practice it, we grow in agapē — the higher, divine love Peter mentions next. Brotherly affection always matures into fervent self-sacrificial love. But one cannot leap to agapē without philadelphia; it is the nursery of divine affection.
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:20
🤺Action:
Examine your relationship with your local church: Is it, in fact, a Christian Church? Are you a participant in covenant life or a consumer of religious goods? The following integrates the core doctrines of authentic Christianity with Mark Dever’s book, "Nine Marks of a Healthy Church," to provide a clear framework for identifying a true New Testament church, particularly to help those in cults or heretical groups (e.g., LDS, SDA, hyper-charismatic movements, NAR, JW) recognize the distinctions. These marks are grounded in the supreme authority of the sixty-six books of the Protestant Bible, emphasizing the sufficiency of Christ and His Gospel.
Expositional Preaching: The church prioritizes preaching that explains the Bible’s text as the authoritative, inerrant, God-breathed Word (2 Tim 3:16). It submits to Scripture alone, rejecting additional “scriptures” (e.g., Book of Mormon, Watchtower publications) or alleged new revelations (e.g., NAR’s modern “prophets”).
Biblical Theology: The church upholds the Trinity (one God in three co-equal, co-eternal Persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and the full deity and humanity of Jesus Christ (eternal Son, not a created being). It rejects polytheism (LDS), modalism, or Arianism (JW).
The Gospel: The church proclaims salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Eph 2:8-9), based on His substitutionary atonement (Isa 53). It rejects salvation by works, rituals, or organizational membership (e.g., SDA’s legalism, LDS’s ordinances, JW’s door-to-door requirements).
A Biblical Understanding of Conversion: Conversion is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, producing repentance and faith in Christ alone (John 3:3-8). The church rejects superficial decisions (e.g., “asking Jesus into your heart”) or conversions tied to human effort, mystical experiences (hyper-charismatic), or organizational loyalty (JW, LDS).
A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism: The church shares the Gospel as the exclusive remedy for sin (Acts 4:12), calling all to trust in Christ’s finished work. It rejects adding human works, secret rituals (LDS temple ceremonies), or extra-biblical requirements (SDA’s Sabbath-keeping) to the Gospel.
Biblical Church Membership: Membership is for those who evidence regeneration through faith in Christ and submission to His Word (Heb 10:25). The church rejects elitist hierarchies (LDS’s priesthood structure, JW’s “anointed class”) and affirms the priesthood of all regenerated believers (1 Pet 2:9).
Biblical Church Discipline: The church practices loving discipline to restore members to biblical obedience (Matt 18:15-17). It rejects authoritarian control (JW’s shunning, NAR’s apostolic dominion) or lax oversight that tolerates unrepentant sin or false teaching.
A Biblical Understanding of Discipleship and Growth: The church fosters maturity through submission to Scripture and accountability within the local body (Eph 4:15-16). It rejects growth through ecstatic experiences (hyper-charismatic), legalistic rules (SDA), or extra-biblical revelations (NAR, LDS).
Biblical Church Leadership: Leaders are biblically qualified, servant-hearted men who teach sound doctrine and model humility (1 Tim 3:1-7). The church rejects self-appointed “apostles” (NAR), infallible leaders (LDS prophets, JW’s Governing Body), or those who elevate human tradition over Scripture.
These marks expose cults and heretical groups that deviate from the sufficiency of Christ and His Word, often adding works, new revelations, or human mediators. A true New Testament church gathers to edify Christ’s Body, grows in biblical faith, gives itself fully to God’s mission, and goes as witnesses of the Gospel, trusting in the LORD alone (Matt 12:30, Acts 1:8).
🧠Reflection:
Ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse you from all hypocritical affection — from polite distance or superficial kindness masquerading as grace — and to ignite sincere philadelphia toward the saints. Crave the LORD's correction. Ask Him to empower you to love actively, so that your obedience to the truth may blossom into authentic brotherly devotion unto fervent love!
Click the following link for a short video version of today's post:
Blessings and love,
Kevin M. Kelley
Pastor
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