Lovely is the Greek word prosphiles and means friendly towards others or to be a friend and have affection for each other. The root Greek word is phileo meaning brotherly love. Thus a picture develops in our mind that when we think of whatsoever is lovely we are thinking beautiful thoughts about each other. This word study on Lovely leads the reader to ponder the thoughts Paul had for the church. Every member was in his mind and he daily prayed for all. He demonstrated a sincere love of all the brethren. He did this through his prayers, through his preaching, careful to take nothing but always to give to all and to share all the counsel of God either by letter or when he was in there presence. He is an ensample of how we should care one for another if we desire to see the salvation of our Lord.
We live in a great day in which we have great expectations that the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. This we will see for the word of the Lord cannot be broken. Our key to this door is: A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Now the Greek word here is agape and not phileo but surely we can see that it is the love of God that activates our human love into the state of purity that frees us to love one another. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: In this scripture Peter combines the two words for love. The first is philadelphia and the second is agapao. The first is the root of phileo and the second is agape. Therefore we are taught that our human love and divine love have united together to become one love for each other.
Oh, believe thou this? Then let love dissolve all bitterness, confusion and division among us. For one cannot say I am of this camp and thou art of another and say we love God. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. It is not doctrine that unites our hearts together. It is doctrine that can lead us astray and send us stumbling like oxen at bay. But he that loves his brother is in the light and there is no stumbling taking place in him. Remember when the ark of God stumbled and Uzzah put his hand out to steady the ark the anger of the Lord smote him? Stumbling cause’s death; let us not stumble any more. It is his love and our love toward one another that puts us in right relationship. Doctrine will often hinder the purpose of God if love for the brethren is not superseded by his commandment.
I write these things to stir your pure minds to cling to what is honest, just, pure and lovely. As God has become our friend let us become friends one to another for this is lovely in the sight of our Lord. When we do such things we become lovely in his sight. Let us long to be lovely in the sight of our Lord and Master. Let us not judge by revelation but let us examine ourselves to see if we love the brethren. For if we judge ourselves by doctrine or revelation we will stumble. But loving our brother keeps us in the light and we will not stumble or become a stumbling block. Believeth thou this?
Listen to our Lords words to us:
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, (philos) May we lay down our position, our doctrine, our haughty spirit, pride, arrogance and the flesh for our friends that the true revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ may be seen by the world.
John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Friends of Jesus will not stumble for they will hear all things from their Father through the Spirit of Jesus. Is there anything sweeter than the voice from on high when it is heard in your hearing and resting in the inward parts, the hidden part where you may know wisdom? For sweeter than honey and the honey comb is the testimony of Jesus in our hearts. His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. Song 5:16
Rev. 19:10 I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
the voice
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