Our Bible Text today is Romans 12:10. It is actually a double statement insofar as the “one another” mandates are concerned. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.”

The noun “brotherly love” is, in Greek, “philadelphia!” It means “liking, being fond of,” one’s kinfolk. One’s comrade, here one’s very “brother in Christ.”

“Kindly affectioned” is a participle, blending the noun “philos” (friend) and the rare term “storge” (family love, a parent’s feeling for the children and vice versa). The word is used only here in all the Bible!

Thus the first line of our Text is similar in ways (yet still with a slightly different emphasis) to yesterday’s Lesson, “Love one another.”

Then Paul continues, under the Guidance of the Holy Spirit. Live … “in honour preferring one another.” The noun “honour” translates “time” in Greek, which indicates something “valuable, precious, held in high esteem.” And the verb “preferring” is “proegeomai.” It literally means “to go before.” To go before and show the way. To go before as a leader. Amazing! I think Paul is saying we should treat one another with such respect that … we want the “other person” to go first. To be the most prominent! To go first!

Here’s the essence of today’s Verse …

We Believers in Christ are to so live that we respond to each other as if we were literally “brothers and sisters” in Christ, with a “family” love, deep and loyal! And when it comes to decisions, we are to allow the “other” person to speak his or her mind “first.”

This eliminates partiality at Church! Everyone is an older (or younger) brother or sister, to be pampered. And this ends all “fighting” over preeminence. The “other” person is given (freely) the “right” to be recognized!

In a “lighter” (almost humorous) sense … we now could debate “Who goes first?” Not from the selfish viewpoint, “I WILL.” But from the Biblical, Jesus-illustrated viewpoint, “Your opinion counts. After you speak … I’ll follow.”

One very conservative Greek scholar expresses the vocabulary of our verse as follows: “Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor.”

Wow!

That kind of behavior, folks, would be dramatic!

How to treat “one another!”

And we have just begun the Series!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

While I realize that it might not be practical to write multiple lessons on the “one to another” Texts of the Bible … the “Love one another” command is repeated so many times in the New Testament that I can’t resist the urge!

Occurring over a dozen times, anyway!

Like First  Thessalonians 3:12 … “And the Lord make you TO INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE ONE TOWARD ANOTHER, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.” Overflowing in love! In ever growing amounts!

Today however, Romans 13:8 is on my heart. It was yesterday, too! “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”

Am I obligated to love others? Indebted?

Paul says, “Yes!”

The verb “owe” means “do not let anything (like debt) ‘pile up’ in your life!” Do not borrow “tons” of money! Live a life that, instead of owing “favors” or “thousands of dollars” or “words of flattery” … you simply owe “love” to your fellow acquaintances!

The Greek verb for “love” used here is (of course) “agapao.” It means more than “being fond” of a person. It means caring for him or her to the point of sacrifice! Unselfish love! A giving love! Loving like God in Heaven, really! Remember, “God so loved that He GAVE …!”

The word (a pronoun) “another” is “allos” in Greek, another of “the same kind.” Other Christians, for sure. Other folks who live on your street, maybe. It carries the idea of “commonality.”

Maybe even, fellow citizens of a nation!

Then Paul adds a startling comment. “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for HE THAT LOVETH ANOTHER HATH FULFILLED THE LAW.”

About “fulfilling the law” when we love!

The Law?

Yes, the legislation Moses left Israel.

How would a man “not kill?” By loving those around him … to the extent he would never harm them.

And “not steal?” By loving the property rights of fellow individuals everywhere.

And “not bear false witness?” By loving the reputations of those around you. Also, by loving the truth!

And “not committing adultery?” By realizing that beautiful woman is the mate to her husband … and that bond of love must be maintained at all costs! Loving God’s plan of Marriage enough not to BREAK the covenant involved!

Yes, all the commandments can be obeyed through the spirit of love!

So today’s verse is, well, epochal! “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The most predominant “one another” command in the Bible is … “Love one another!”

Here, in First John 4:7-10, is a little “sermon” on such love: “Beloved, let us LOVE ONE ANOTHER: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

The “beloved” are being addressed. That means brothers and sisters “in Christ.” Saved people. (We also are to love our enemies, according to Jesus. He certainly did! But that is NOT what our Passage here from First John is saying.) We are under a mandate, a command, to love each other, being members of Jesus’ Body, the New Testament Church.

Then we notice the “Source” of love. It is born of God, created of God, is on intimate terms with God! No God … no real love! In fact, we’ve just read it … “God is Love!”

Next is the greatest illustration ever of the Love of God. This Almighty Heavenly Father send His Son (Jesus) into the world, to die for sinners! (Yes! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16, you remember.) Calvary, the Cross … love in action.

In other words, God loved us FIRST! (First John 4:9 … “We love him, because he first loved us.” Amen!)

The noun “propitiation,” used of Jesus’ Mission to earth, is “hilasmos,” meaning “to appease” a Person. To “satisfy” Him. It can also mean the “price” paid to bring about such satisfaction!

In essence, JESUS DIED FOR US, ON OUR BEHALF, TO SATISFY THE JUSTICE OF GOD IN HEAVEN! Jesus took my sin and gave me in return His Righteousness! See Second Corinthians 5:21. “For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who (Jesus) knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (Jesus).” What a verse!

But I am supposed to be writing about us Christians loving one another!

I am … writing on that theme.

And we are … to so love each other.

But, today’s point, lesson … all our love is based on the Pattern, the Motivation of God’s amazing, eternal Love!

I think tomorrow I shall again share another “love one another” verse, this time from man’s point of view. More subjective.

But initially, primarily, essentially Christian love must be objective. Focused on God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit … the Godhead, the Matrix of genuine Love anyway!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

I’ve thought about this for years.

Wondering how many times the Bible teaches us Christians to do something “one to another,” in a common bond of love and respect.

I think it’s “time” to maybe share some of those thoughts here on the Website.

And, though the first actual “one to another” statement will not be presented until tomorrow morning, I will mention today that these “commands” seem to come in several different categories.

The largest group seems to concentrate on our being “unified” as Brothers and Sisters in Christ. As in Mark 9:50, for example. “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, AND HAVE PEACE ONE WITH ANOTHER.” Mark’s (really Jesus was talking) thought here must be considered “in context.” Our Western minds do not initially associate “salt” and “peace,” do they?

A second group of the “one another’s” of the Bible seem to emphasize “love.” (You can be at “peace” with someone without really “loving” them, you know!) Yes, occurring repeatedly in the New Testament is the clause “Love one another.” (I this morning found it 13 times in 12 verses!) Here’s John 13:34, Jesus: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE ONE ANOTHER; as I have loved you, that ye also LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” Wow, how thrilling!

Then yet a third group of such commands seem to focus on “humility.” Romans 12:16 is the classic example. “BE OF THE SAME MIND ONE TOWARD ANOTHER. Mind not high things, but CONDESCEND to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” Yes, humility. Do not be “smart alecks” one to another! Or “know it all’s!”

Lastly a fourth group would need to be catalogued “miscellaneous.” Covering a range of subjects, issues of life. Like this one, very clear: “LIE NOT ONE TO ANOTHER, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” Colossians 3:9, truthfulness.

Again, we shall delve a little deeper tomorrow, the Lord willing.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Overall, in the study of the Monarchs of Judah, King Manasseh is relegated to obscurity.

Once the Kingdom of Israel “split,” after the reigns of Saul and David and Solomon, Rehoboam (son of Solomon) was its first sitting Ruler. Thus he gets a lot of attention, particularly as an unwise man.

King Asa and his foot disease gets a lot of ink (written commentary) as well.

And so does Jehoshaphat, with his unequal yoke to wicked King Ahab of Israel.

Even a Queen (apostate Athaliah) gets a load of attention. She nearly killed all the “godly line” of royalty! But the Lord intervened … and young Joash soon rules the Land.

The great King Uzziah also is familiar, being associated with the ministry of the Prophet Isaiah.

So are the “revivalist” Kings well known, both Hezekiah and Josiah.

Even the last few Kings (merely puppets, really) get a good bit of Bible coverage. Each (Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah) ineffectively led the Nation of Judah in her last days, before (Babylonian) captivity.

So … and maybe justly … Manasseh’s Story is often overlooked.

But I am glad we have invested the time these past few mornings studying him.

What great Lessons we have covered in the subjects of …

Missed opportunities.

The influence of evil.

The danger of compromise.

The reality of God’s discipline in a man’s life.

The potential pain of disobeying God.

The power of a humbled heart … in the sight of God!

The nearly unprecedented release of a rebellious captive!

A rebuilding effort of Manasseh’s part, repairing things he had once destroyed.

And an insincere Revival in Judah, half hearted at best.

Then, lastly, the tragedy of a family lost to the influence of sin.

Yes, those ancient things of bygone years (the Old Testament to us Christians) truly are written for our warning, admonition and learning.

“Lord, help us to be good students!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell