Fraternity
“Brotherly love”
Summary
The bond of brotherhood among believers, emphasizing mutual love, care, and unity as children of the same heavenly Father.
☩Biblical Foundation
Christian fraternity is rooted in the common relationship believers have with God as Father and Christ as elder brother (Hebrews 2:11-12). Jesus taught that His true family consists of those who do the will of His Father (Matthew 12:50). He commanded His disciples to love one another as the identifying mark of discipleship: 'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another' (John 13:34-35).
☩Practical Expressions
Fraternity involves practical care: bearing one another's burdens (Galatians 6:1-2), restoring those who fall (Matthew 18:15-18), forgiving seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22), and hospitality (Hebrews 13:1). The early church demonstrated this brotherhood through sharing possessions (Acts 2:44-45) and caring for widows and the poor. John declares that anyone who claims to love God but hates his brother is a liar (1 John 2:9-11, 3:17).
☩Apostolic Teaching
Peter commands believers to 'love the brotherhood' (1 Peter 2:17) and to have fervent love for one another (1 Peter 1:22). Paul urges believers to be 'kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love' (Romans 12:10). This fraternity extends across all social and ethnic boundaries, for in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free (Galatians 3:28). The unity of believers reflects the unity of the Godhead (John 17:21).
Related Verses28 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Fraternity," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. III (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).