The 'promise'
2 Peter 1:5-10, promises the Christian, that if we are to take ownership of certain qualities, if these specific qualities increase, and these specific qualities are practiced in the life of the Christian, the Christian is promised to never fall! The quality that we will be discussing is 'brotherly affection.' Brotherly affection or "philadelphia" (which comes from from phÃlos, "loving friend" and adelphós, "a brother") is to be added to the quality of 'godliness,' or eusebeia, which is a 'reverence' or 'fear' of the Lord. This reverence for God comes from the Holy Spirit within the believer, and if we add brotherly affection to this reverence for God, which comes from God himself, we are affectionately viewing those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, as brothers and sisters - born of the same 'blood' line: which we have been adopted into through the blood of Jesus.
Do you get excited when you meet a person who says they are a Christian?
To be a loving friend - especially to those brothers and sisters in the faith - is critical to the Christian walk. This good work, comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within the believer and it is important to be reminded of How the Lord enables and compels us toward being a loving friend. 'Philadelphia' is manifested through the believer - by the Spirit - in a number of ways, including (but not limited to): bearing one another's burdens, loving one's neighbor as oneself, and loving as Jesus has loved. Ultimately, the 'brotherly affection' described in 2 Peter 1:7, is being generated by God himself within the believer as a response to Himself within others whom profess the name of 'Jesus' as 'Lord!' There is none more glorious than God, and to know that God himself dwells within a person - through the Holy Spirit - amplifies the affections towards those who are followers of the Lord Jesus!
Do you get excited when you meet a person who says they are a Christian? This is a godly response, generated by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, centered in 'philadelphia,' or brotherly affection!
A fantastic example of mutual brotherly affection is displayed through the Ephesians elders and Paul, as Pauls tells the Ephesian elders that he must continue his missionary journey to Rome, informing them that they would not see his face again. The response from everyone - including Paul - was 'much weeping.' This is a crisp, crystal clear, example of brotherly affection - philadelphia - displayed through the Ephesian elders and Paul:
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him,38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship. Acts 20:36-38
Can you imagine the raw emotion? Saying goodbye to a loved one KNOWING that you would never see them again? This is brotherly affection for the fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, generated by the Holy Spirit. This quality is something that all believers have - and it is good to be reminded that as believers, we must take ownership of this quality (as it has been given to us, in Christ), this quality should be increasing in our lives, and we must practice this quality! By doing this, we are prevented from being ineffective, and unfruitful and thus we will never fall!
2 Peter 1:5-10 (emphasis added)
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers,7 be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
God bless,
Eleazar