FIRST QUARTER 2022
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #13
MARCH 26, 2022
“LET BROTHERLY LOVE CONTINUE”

 

 

Our lesson this week covers the themes addressed in Hebrews 13.  This chapter begins with an encouragement to “let brotherly love continue”.  Then, as with many of Paul’s letters, there is a practical explanation of what “brotherly love” (Grk – philadelphia), lived out, looks like.

 

“Philadelphia” (brotherly love), is revealed in hospitality (13:2), visiting and supporting prisoners and the mistreated (13:3), honor and fidelity in marriage (13:4), avoiding covetousness (13:5-6), respect for leadership (13:7-17), and in intercessory prayer (13:18-19).

 

This demonstrates, once again, that the gospel is tangible and helpful as it is expressed in the daily experience of the follower of Jesus.  This was one of the tenets of the 1888 message. E. G. White stated it this way, “The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders Waggoner and Jones. . .  It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God (Letter to O. A. Olsen - 1888 1336.2). 

 

All those facets of “brotherly love” that we listed above are telling us what it means to “receive the righteousness of Christ” – what it means to manifest “obedience to all the commandments of God”.  As one 1888 proponent (R. J. Wieland) has said – “what is unique about the 1888 message is that it puts righteousness by faith in an end time setting.”  The “final generation” will be hospitable, prisoner supportive, marriage faithful, materially content, prayerful generation in earth’s history!  That is “brotherly love”.  That is “righteousness by faith in an end time setting.”

 

Modern Christianity has substituted a “put on” cloak or covering of righteousness that supposedly gets us a legal pass into heaven, irrespective of whether the individual has actually internalized the righteousness of Christ into the character and life practice.  The self-centered Christian wants to have the “label” or legal pass that declares they have the “righteousness of Christ”, without actually possessing the experience that is meant to accompany “receiving” the righteousness of Christ.

 

E. G. White says it this way, “No repentance is genuine that does not work reformation.  The righteousness of Christ is not a cloak to cover unconfessed and unforsaken sin; it is a principle of life that transforms the character and controls the conduct.  Holiness is wholeness for God; it is the entire surrender of heart and life to the indwelling of the principles of heaven.”  {DA 555.6}.

 

Notice!  The “righteousness of Christ” is not a CLOAK TO COVER, but a PRINCIPLE THAT TRANSFORMS AND CONTROLS!  Hence, Paul’s admonition in Hebrews 13:1 to “let brotherly love reign”, or, said another way, “let the righteousness of Christ reign”.  Brotherly love = righteousness of Christ.  Hospitality = righteousness of Christ.  Supporting and visiting prisoners and mistreated = righteousness of Christ.  Intercessory prayer = the righteousness of Christ.  Etc.

 

A. T. Jones concurs, although using slightly different language:

 

“Which would you rather have, the completeness, the perfect fulness of Jesus Christ or have less than that with some of your sins covered up that you never know of? [Congregation: "His fulness."] But don't you see, the Testimonies have told us that if there be stains of sin there, we cannot have the seal of God. How in the world can that seal of God, which is the impress of His perfect character revealed in us, be put upon us when there are sins about us? He cannot put the seal, the impress of His perfect character, upon us until He sees it there. And so He has got to dig down to the deep places we never dreamed of, because we cannot understand our hearts. But the Lord knows the heart. He tries the conscience. He will cleanse the heart, and bring up the last vestige of wickedness. Let Him go on, brethren; let Him keep on His searching work. and when He does bring our sins before us, let the heart say, "Lord, thou gavest thyself for my sins. Oh, I take thee instead of them." They are gone, and I rejoice in the Lord. Brethren, let us be honest with the Lord, and treat Him as He wants us to.” {February 26, 1893, ATJ, GCDB 404.4}

 

When we have this experience, this righteousness of Christ’s character in our “deep places”, then we can follow Paul’s admonition in Hebrews 13:12-13, “Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.”

 

This is when “brotherly love” (Grk – philadelphia), will broaden and mature into agape love – divine love, manifested in us.  No more satisfaction that Jesus bore the cross instead of me, but a mature love for Christ that moves us to bear the cross with Him and for Him.

 

Must Jesus bear the cross alone

And all the world go free?

No, there's a cross for ev'ry one,

And there's a cross for me.

 

The consecrated cross I'll bear

Till (He) shall set me free,

And then go home my crown to wear,

For there's a crown for me.

 

Upon the crystal pavement, down

At Jesus' pierced feet,

Joyful, I'll cast my golden crown

And His dear name repeat.

 

 

        Let us go forth to meet Jesus, outside the city, and take His cross as our cross.

 

~Bob Hunsaker