Today’s devotion
Topic: Let Brotherly Love Continue!
Background: Brotherly love in the biblical sense is an extension of the natural affection associated with near kin, toward the greater community of fellow believers. This goes beyond the mere duty in Leviticus 19:18 to “love thy neighbour as thyself”, and shows itself as “unfeigned love” from a “pure heart”, that extends an unconditional hand of friendship that loves when not loved back, gives without getting, and that always looks for what is best in others.
We have all heard about Cain and how he killed his brother Abel. Even he, who was his biological brother and innocent, was killed out of sheer jealousy. So then, if “brotherly love” is explained only as the love we share with our blood relations then how come Cain killed Abel; and how come Abel’s blood still cries out?
Today’s bible study seeks to take us deeper into what love truly means from God’s perspective and what He requires of us in that regard. Please come along!
Text :1 John 3: 11 – 18
11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous
13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. Amen
Questions:
i. How important is the virtue of love such that it remains the message we have heard from the begining? (Vrs 7).
ii. Read vrs 12 carefully. Does it suggest that Satan remains the source of all wickedness and people who do not demonstrate love and compassion take their source from him?
iii. Kindly read verse 12- 15 carefully and answer the following:
a) Why did Cain hate and kill his brother and why does the world hate the belivers of God?
b) What do you think the Bible mean when it says “we know we have passed from death to life because we love each other?
c) How is it possible that one who merely hates his brother or sister, easily qualifies as murderer?
iv. How do we know what love is (vrs 16), and at what point can we question if the love of God is in a person (vrs 17)? Kindly explain with practical real life experiences.
v. Why does vrs 18 entreat us to love with action and in truth and not with words? More, what is the difference between the two? Kindly explain your answer.
vi. What have you learnt from today’s devotion?
Kindly reply us through this same social media platform. We learn a great deal from the answers you provide.
