Another quality that is needed to help us mature in Christ is brotherly love. The Apostle John wrote about the type of love that God expects from us. We must love God, not the world (1Jn. 2:15); we must not walk in sin (1Jn. 3:9); we must love others in the Body of Christ (1Jn. 3:14). In describing perfected love John says: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another…If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us” (1Jn. 4:11,12). We have heard all these things before but it is helpful to be reminded of them (2Pe. 1:12,13). As I mentioned in the last article, the Body of Christ has not yet reached the “fathers” level of maturity (1Jn. 2:13,14). In order for us to come to “a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13), we must increase also in brotherly love.
Why do the scriptures encourage us to love the brethren and not just to love our neighbour? One reason is because the brethren are our closest neighbours. We must love in deed and in truth (1Jn. 3:18). The closer we are to people, the more we are affected by their imperfections as well as their love. Love matures in us as we love those who are not always perfect towards us. Growing in brotherly love will help us to develop the highest type of love, which is unconditional. It is much more difficult to love our enemies than to love the brethren. But, there are other reasons why we are exhorted to love the brethren.
God’s ultimate plan is to gather all things in heaven and on earth in unity in Christ (Eph. 1:10). Included in this is the plan to make for Himself a spiritual house, which is the Church. Having this understanding, we see a special need to help others fulfill God’s plan for their lives. In the early days of the Church, of the thousands that were converted on the day of Pentecost, many were Jews from all over the world. These, for certain, decided to delay their plans to return home in order to remain under the teaching of the apostles. The believers who resided in Jerusalem sold what they had and brought the proceeds to the Church so that all could remain together. The outpouring of the Spirit resulted in a change of focus from material things to spiritual things which expressed itself in unity and a love for the brethren.
As we gain an understanding of the Church, we realize that we cannot come to the fullness of what Christ has for each of us without the entire Body coming to maturity. The proper function of any member requires the proper function of the other members. Paul had a deep revelation of the Church. He said that “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it” (1Cor. 12:26). To be honest, I know this is true because it is in the scriptures, but I am only beginning to understand how it is true in practice. Even though I relate to God as an individual, I am still learning how to function corporately. I know in my mind that I must lose my independence, but how do I do that when it comes to fulfilling God’s purpose for my life? The process for maturing in this area requires that I discern the Body of Christ.
Just before Paul describes the functioning of the Body in 1Corinthians Chapter 12, he talks about the Lord’s Supper. In speaking of this he says something that is very difficult to understand: “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” (1Cor. 11:29,30) I know that many teachers believe this refers to having faith in Christ for healing. It is true that healing of our whole being is provided in His atoning sacrifice, but I do not believe that this is what Paul is referring to in these verses. Judgment has to do with sin so it must be that eating in an unworthy manner refers to participating in the Lord’s Supper without confessing known sins. What does this have to do with discerning the Lord’s body? First of all, it means that when I remember His death, I remember that I died with Him. I discern that I am now a member of His body. No sin is permitted to abide in His body, so when I remember my death with Him, I must confess sin and “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses me from all sin” (1Jn. 1:7). Also, I must discern that those with whom I am participating in the Lord’s Supper with are also members of His body. Just like I cannot come to the table of the Lord with sin in my heart, neither can they. Paul tells us that we should wait for one another (1Cor. 11:33) as we take communion. We wait for others to search their hearts as we must do. As part of our prayers, we forgive others so that we also will be forgiven (Mark 11:25,26).
The need for each member to obtain forgiveness is so important that the Lord says: “if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift before the altar and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matt. 5:23,24) We do not need to go to them if they have sinned against us, but rather if we have sinned against them. It is not that our forgiveness from God depends on others, but rather that they will not be forgiven their own sins if they do not forgive us for our sins. The Lord forgives us when we ask, but He also cares so much for them that He wants us to help them forgive in order to avoid judgment. The Lord’s Supper is a precious time of communion but we must approach it in godly fear.
A great outpouring will come in these end times because the Church will come to understand and practice the discerning of the Lord’s body. A picture of this revival was given to the prophet Ezekiel. He saw a river flowing from the throne of God that started as a small stream but grew to be so wide and deep that it could not be crossed (Ezek. 47:1-12). This is the river of life that flows from the Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem, which is the Bride of Christ (Rev. 21-22). I asked the Lord how this river could grow as it went further away from the temple. The understanding I received is that, as individual believers, the living water flows from us (Jn. 7:38). As we come together in unity, however, the streams become a deep and wide river bringing healing to the nations. Individually we can be small steams but for the healing of the nations, we must lose our independence and become one deep river of life.
Highway in the Wilderness 