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Be<\/em><\/strong><\/span> kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Christians are to treat other Christians in a special way.<\/p>\n The word translated \u201ckindly affectionate<\/span>\u201d is found nowhere else in the Bible. It is philostorgos<\/em><\/span>, which is made up of philos<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201ca friend\u201d and a form of storg\u0113<\/em><\/span>, which refers to \u201cnatural family love\u201d or \u201cthe kind of love that a mother has for her child.\u201d It is that intimate fondness that binds members of a close family together no matter what happens.<\/p>\n The Greek word translated \u201cbrotherly love<\/span>\u201d is philadelphia<\/em><\/span>. This is made up of philos<\/span><\/em>, signifying \u201ca kind of love signified by fondness or friendship\u201d and a form of adelphos<\/span><\/em>, which means \u201cbrother.\u201d \u00a0Thus, we see that philadelphia <\/span><\/em>refers to \u201cbrotherly love\u201d or \u201cthe kind of fondness and friendship that exists between good friends.\u201d This is a completely different word than the one translated \u201clove<\/span>\u201d in the previous verse. That word is agape<\/em><\/span>, which is self-sacrificing love in action, the kind of love that God has for His redeemed children.<\/p>\n \u201cHonor<\/span>\u201d is translated from tim\u0113<\/em><\/span>, which is derived from tin\u014d<\/em><\/span>, referring to \u201cthe value or the price paid for something.\u201d With regard to people, tim\u0113<\/em> <\/span>denotes \u201cesteem, respect, or honor.\u201d<\/p>\n The word translated \u201cgiving preference<\/span>\u201d is the Greek word pro\u0113geomai<\/em><\/span>, which is made up of pro<\/em> <\/span>meaning \u201cbefore or in front of\u201d and hegeomai<\/em><\/span>, which means \u201cto lead the way.\u201d So literally it means \u201cto lead the way before others\u201d and could be interpreted as \u201csetting an example.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul now focuses on how Christians should treat each other. We are to have a brotherly love for each other. But Paul makes a special distinction about this brotherly love. He describes it as \u201ckindly affectionate.\u201d That is, the kind of fondness that we are to have for fellow Christians should be more than just friendship, it should be a binding love, the kind that exists in close families. I think if I were to paraphrase the first part of this verse it would say, \u201cMake your love for your Christian brothers be like that which binds a parent and a child.<\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n In the second part of this verse, Paul tells us that we are to give preference to one another in honor. As we pointed out in \u201cBehind the Words<\/strong>,\u201d he is telling us that we should set an example of each other in honor. Therefore this phrase could be translated as, \u201csetting an example in honoring each other.<\/em>\u2019<\/p>\n In other words, Paul is telling us in this verse that we should feel so personally attached to each other in the church that we will gladly set the example of seeking for others to receive honor before ourselves. In the opening verses of this chapter, Paul told us to present our living bodies as a sacrifice, to be used as God determines. Then in verse three he said:<\/p>\n For I say \u2026 to everyone who is among you, not to think<\/span> of himself<\/em> <\/span>more highly than he ought to think,<\/span><\/p>\n In the body of Christ, we should all consider the good of others more important than our own good, and we should be giving honor to others, not seeking it for ourselves.<\/p>\n If every member of the church obeyed this verse, there would be no strife or dissention in the church and God would be truly glorified! Who wants to go first in being an example?<\/p>\n In God\u2019s service, for His glory,<\/strong><\/p>\nTruth to Learn<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Behind the Words<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Meaning Explained<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Application<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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