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Dear Sir,
The apostle having said, "Marvel not my brethren, if the world hate you," immediately subjoins, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." By the manner of his expression, he sufficiently intimates that the want of this love is so universal, till the Lord plants it in the heart, that if we possess it, we may thereby be sure he has given us of his Spirit, and delivered us from condemnation.
But as the heart is deceitful, and people may be awfully mistaken in the judgment they form of themselves, we have need to be very sure that we rightly understand what this love is, before we draw the apostle's conclusion from it, and admit it as evidence in our own favour, that we have passed from death unto life.
There are some counterfeits of this love to the brethren which are to be feared have often been mistaken for it, and have led people to think themselves something, when indeed they had nothing.
Natural love. People may sincerely love their relations, friends, and benefactors, who are of the brethren, and yet be utter strangers to the spiritual love the apostle speaks of. So Orpah had a great affection for Naomi, though it was not strong enough to make her willing with Ruth to leave her native country and her idol gods. Natural affection can go no further than to a personal attachment; and they who thus love the brethren, upon no better ground, are often disgusted with those things in them for which the real brethren chiefly love one another.
Love of convenience. The Lord's people are gentle, peaceful, benevolent, swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. They are desirous of adorning the doctrine of God their Saviour and approving themselves followers of him who pleased not himself, but spent his life doing good for others. Upon this account, they who are full of themselves and love to have their own way may like their company, because they find more compliances and less opposition from them than from such as themselves. For a while Laban loved Jacob; he found him diligent and trustworthy, and perceived that the Lord had prospered him on Jacob's account — but when he saw Jacob flourished, and apprehended he was likely to do without him, his love was soon at an end; for it was only founded on self-interest.
Party-love. A party-love is also common. The objects of this are those who are of the same sentiment, worship in the same way, or are attached to the same minister. They who are united in such narrow and separate associations may express warm affections without giving any proof of true Christian love — for upon such grounds as these, not only professed Christians, but Jews and Turks may be said to love one another.
The principle of true love to the brethren is the love of God — that love which produces obedience. "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments" (1 John 5:2).
The love spoken of is spiritual. The children of God, who therefore stand in the relation of brethren to each other, though they have too many unhappy differences in points of smaller importance, agree in the supreme love they bear to their heavenly Father and Jesus Christ their Saviour; of course they agree in disliking and avoiding sin, which is contrary to the will and command of the God whom they love and worship.
Their situation increases their affection to each other. They are washed by the same blood, supplied by the same grace, opposed by the same enemies, and have the same heaven in view — therefore they love one another with a pure heart fervently.
The properties of this love, where its exercise is not greatly impeded by ignorance and bigotry, are such as prove its heavenly original. It extends to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity; it cannot be confined within the pale of a denomination, nor restrained to those with whom it is more immediately connected. It is gentle and not easily provoked; it hopes the best, makes allowances for infirmities, and is easily entreated. It is kind and compassionate — not in words only, but sympathises with the afflicted and relieves the indigent according to its ability; and as it primarily respects the image of Christ in its objects, it feels a more peculiar attachment to those whom it judges to be the most spiritual, though without undervaluing or despising the weakest attainments in the true grace of the Gospel.
They are happy who thus love the brethren. They have passed from death unto life; and may plead this gracious disposition — though not before the Lord as the ground of their hope — yet against Satan, when he would tempt them to question their right to the promises. But, alas! the exercise of this love, when it really is implanted, is greatly obstructed through the remaining depravity which cleaves to believers. We cannot be too watchful against those tempers which weaken the proper effects of brotherly love.
We live in a day when the love of many of whom we would hope the best has at least grown very cold. The effects of a narrow, a suspicious, a censorious, and a contentious spirit are most unhappy in themselves, and most dishonourable to the Gospel. May the Lord give us grace to watch against them, and to seek a fuller manifestation of that love which is the bond of perfectness, and the brightest evidence that we have indeed passed from death unto life.
I am, dear Sir, yours affectionately in the bonds of the Gospel,
John Newton