Hebrews 13:1 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.
Today we get a different Greek version of love. This verse uses the Greek philadelphia. This form of love is characterized by warm, family-like affection for others. We are all members of the same spiritual family and we should love one another the same way we have experienced love in our earthly, biological families.
The author of Hebrews, whoever he might have been, begins his final exhortations with this verse, emphasizing the love we should have for our fellow believers. We are to cultivate a familial love for one another. Our love should be ongoing and active. We should be continuously offering sacrificial love to others. And this sacrificial love is not the same as agape love, but is just as important. Just as a parent sacrifices something for themselves to ensure their child receives what is needed instead, we should be willing to make sacrifices for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
This verse is also the foundation for the remaining verses that follow it. Love is the foundation of all further commands and instructions given. It shows us just how important love was in the early church and serves as a model for how we should act today. We, too, should be loving others, showing hospitality, remembering those who are imprisoned, etc.
We also need to understand that this type of love is not temporary or circumstantial. It is meant to be ongoing and lasting. We continue to show love for one another, even when they upset you. We know that all families have struggles and disagreements periodically, but their love remains even when they don’t necessarily like each other. The same is true for us and our fellow believers.
Do you show brotherly love to your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you love them with the same type of love that is presented in this verse? Take some time today to evaluate your interactions with other believers. Consider how you might be able to extend Philadelphia-like love to those you come in contact with this week.
Prayer: Lord, Fill me with a family-like love for my Christian family. Let my love be a blessing in their lives. Help me to love like Jesus and the earthly church. Amen
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