In verse 1 of chapter 4 Paul began to exhort the Thessalonian believers to live godly lives. First of all he called them to live lives of sexual purity (verses 1-8). Now in verse 9 he reminds them of their duty to practice brotherly love. The word for "brotherly love" in Greek is philadelphia. It’s a word that outside the New Testament is almost always used for the love of family members for one another. It is particularly appropriate for Christian believers because all of us have been born again of the Spirit of God. Whatever our background, whatever our social standing, whatever our gender, we are all brothers in Christ.
Paul points out three facts about this brotherly love:
1. God himself teaches it to us. (verse 9)
F.F. Bruce comments, "The Thessalonian Christians had learned, almost by the instinct of the new life imparted to them, to love one another." Because we have been born of God we share his basic nature, which is love. To be a Christian is to enter a fellowship of brotherly love.
2. It reaches out to love all of God’s children. (verse 10)
Christian love is not limited by political boundaries or denominational differences. It reaches out to all who know the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour.
3. It should always be increasing in our lives.
While to love other Christians comes naturally to the believer, our love can wane. We need always to be growing in our sympathy for those in need, our patience for those who are struggling and our tolerance toward those with whom we disagree.
" To love is to admire with the heart; to admire is to love with the mind." (Theophile Gautier)
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