Christian growth begins with yourself, and then expands to include concern for your brothers and sisters in Christ.
So much significant change happens through these first steps of Saint Peter’s steps to transformation!
Not overnight, but over time our friend Lucinda has seen the growth in herself from apathetic and ignorant in the area of church attendance to godly in her opinions and actions. And remember, it’s not that she’s earned godliness in some way, it’s that she’s allowed God to transform her as she’s aligned her heart with His heart. This is what Christian growth is. We can say Lucinda has matured as a Christian. OK, so Now what happens?
The next step on Saint Peter’s steps is Brotherly Kindness.
The Greek word for brotherly kindness is philadelphia and it means affection for fellow believers. Here’s what happens:
Lucinda, loving everything about church now and actually looking forward to going, becomes aware that there are others in the church she attends who are apathetic in their sporadic church attendance. They obviously don’t see it as important and Lucinda, having been there, begins to feel sorry for them. “If only they knew the whole truth about their identity and place in the church, about what it means to not forsake our fellowshipping together, about how God loves for His family to come together in corporate worship, they could experience the joy that I experience now. And God would be pleased with the growth of another of His children,” Lucinda thinks.
Brotherly - or sisterly affection - wants others to experience the grace that you’ve experienced.
This is the stage where I hear people say about someone else “I just want to shake them to make them see!” Yep, that’s what brotherly or sisterly kindness feels like. PLUS, it’s our love for the Lord that wants others to recognize His goodness and greatness!
Do you see how this is a new desire that God awakens in us? Do you see how this desire aligns with His desire that all people would know His truth and experience the joy that comes from obedience to it? God’s nature is to love, and God’s nature is to give and as we grow our personal godliness turns outward toward other people. It’s a beautiful cycle from glory to glory!
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