Create in me a clean heart, O Elohim, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalms 51:10-11 NKJV)

We are in a world that hates just about everything except evil. The saying that I hate everyone equally is common. This is not the spirit of Yahweh it is the spirit of sin. The wicked are considered clean and the clean are put down. If you stand up for morality hatred is what you receive. Our goal is to be much different than the world’s goal. Our goals should be set on the loving of Yahweh first and then the loving of brethren. The two greatest commandments are the same. If we love Yahweh we love our brethren and if we love our brethren we love Yahweh. They are symbiotic so you cannot have one with out the other.

It is important to realize that with out Yahweh we would not exist and our brethren would not exist. (Ps. 53:1) So by showing our brethren love we are showing Yahweh and Yahshua love. Yahshua said if you love me keep my commandments. (John 14:15) We find that the commandments are fundamental to love. That if you are truly loving to your brethren then you are keeping half the commandments. If you love you Yahweh then you are keeping the rest of the commandments. As you read through the commandments you find the scriptures protect our brethren and Yahweh protects us. (Joel 2:32)

Sabbath

There are many examples of this in the scriptures. The Sabbath is the day of rest. Science has proven that the human body is aged by use. (Ex. 20:8-11, Duet. 5:12-15) When we use our muscles we destroy the muscles but when we sleep the muscle is regenerated. That is one of the reasons that body builders usually take a day of rest. The interesting thing is that on average if we die a natural death we all have the same number of heartbeats. This is interesting because Yahweh promises that if we follow him closely he will give us a life of 70 years. This is important because most people are working all week and all weekend. We need the Sabbath.

Biblically Clean Food

Yahweh has given us a manual for one of His most awesome creations in the human body. The human body needs fuel just like a car. The quality of the fuel determines how well a car will work.

Scripturally clean food is deemed by Yahweh to be acceptable to our bodies. (Deut. 14) As with anything though you are to use moderation. Science has proven the moderate diet is better than any one-item diet. That is why we shouldn’t always eat beef or potatoes or carrots as a child with a favorite food. We should eat a variety of the scripturally clean foods.

Clean food and a day of rest though are only two ways that Yahweh shows His love. Other commandments teach us how to treat one another. The number of commandments that teach us how to treat each other are not only beneficial to our brethren but they are beneficial to us. It has been proven that hate and distress can age the human body quicker than relaxation and love. This should be humbling because the things that science is proving Yahweh has known and taught.

Yahshua said to hate your brother is equivalent to murdering him. (Mat. 5:21-24) The brain uses more energy than any other part of the body and yet is only a small percent of the total mass. Yahshua was also telling us that we should not let these things exist in our minds because such thoughts are only the beginning and may lead to the action of murder.

Fruitful

We have been given an opportunity to follow the Holy Spirit and do what is right or follow our own will. The Holy Spirit must not be quenched; it must not be blasphemed. Isn’t it blasphemy to deny what the Holy Spirit leads us to do? We are to listen to the Advocate (Comforter) that Yahweh has sent. (John 14:26) We should be producing fruit that is sweet. (Gal. 5:22-23) Fruit that is bitter will be hewn off and thrown into the fire. (John 15:1-17)

So we must examine our selves and decide whether we are fruitful to Yahweh. We must be like David in that he was driven by Yahweh’s spirit. David cried to Yahweh please do not take the Holy Spirit away. (Ps. 51:11) The Holy Spirit is fruitful. One part of that fruit is loving-kindness. So lets return to the greatest commandments.

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Yahshua said unto him, Thou shalt love Yahweh thy Elohim with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40)

Our love of Yahweh is shown through our actions. (James 1:19-24) This is also the way that we show our brethren love. In John Yahshua clarifies this by saying that if any man loves me he will keep my words and it follows that by this Yahweh will also love him.

Yahshua answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:23)

Action of Love

The only way someone knows that you love them is through your actions. (1 Sam. 2:3) When a man loves a woman he attempts to prove his love to her. With brethren we engage them in conversation and assist them when they need help. The warm feelings that follow among brethren grows the relationship. It is a growth that will hopefully bring us closer to the kingdom. The kingdom that we are striving to be a part of will be shared with those you love and those who you just can’t stand if Yahweh so chooses. We are all striving together for the same purpose. We should not even wish the lake of fire on our worst enemies.

We are mortal and we often for earthly reasons have strife in our assemblies. (Rom. 8:7) This strife is sometimes good because it leads to our perfecting but if there is no healing then the maturing has not taken place. This is the maturing in the scriptures and in the Holy Spirit. Strife is unfortunate because it often leads to divisions. Division is not of Yahweh when it is over personal issues. (Pro. 10:12) Yahweh is one with his entire family. (Deut. 6:4)

The show of loving-kindness is hard at times because it is not the nature of a carnal mind. What we should be doing is making ready a Yahweh centric mind. A Yahweh centric mind sees love and encourages kindness. Even the most knowledgably mind is nothing without love. (Ps. 145:20) Many claim to know the scriptures but have a mind set on violence and hatred. This is what the apostles ran into all the time when teaching congregations of both Jew and Gentile. Just the fact that they were still calling those new to the faith gentiles showed hostility.

Handling Strife

And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15)

Even those that are to be put out are to be considered brethren. Following through with this takes a lot of compassion and spiritual mindedness. After you have explained the faults and wickedness that you have seen you must turn from it. Matthew 18:15-17 explains the process if wickedness is found in an assembly. The process is meant to give a brother a fair chance at explaining and changing but the process unfortunately might reach a point where that brother is to be put out if there is no repentance.  Too often we go wrong by not following the process and not doing the follow up. The follow up is to keep those put out in contact. They are not the enemy they are possibly just misled. When you see that your place of worship is not following the scripture you must confront the eldership about the problem. This can lead toward two different situations.  A good situation would be a change of the brother or further understanding on your part.  If the change is not made then you must follow 2 Thessalonians and turn away from unrighteousness. We cannot always be right but when we know that some thing is wrong not doing anything is support of the unrighteousness.

Goal of Brethren

The goal of the scripture is not strife among brethren. Loving one another is hard at times but it is the only way that the scriptures will ever truly be understood. We in the end will be judged by Yahweh’s loving kindness so we too must show Yahweh that we are patient. With out love we are the children of greed wanting only love for ourselves and not being able to show love.

Have mercy upon me, O Elohim, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. (Psalms 51:1)

There is so much in the scriptures about love. Yahshua said that you shall know his disciples by their love for one another. (John 13:35) Love is a pivotal part of a true worshiper. If fear is the beginning of knowledge then love is beginning of fear. (Pro. 1:7) We cannot pretend to love one another. Yahweh knows what we truly think. This is one of the hardest things to workout and understands but it is necessary.

For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. (Luke 6:32-36)

Conclusion

So love brethren and don’t expect anything from it. They cannot reward you even close to the way that Yahweh can reward you. Your heart should be to do as Yahweh asks and to follow in Yahshua’s footsteps. It is by Yahshua’s example that we receive understanding because Yahshua lived the life that we are to live. Yahshua is the example of perfection. (Mat 19:21, Heb. 13:21) His love for the brethren is unmistakable. He taught us how to live and I pray that we always strive to understand this. Love one another and forgive brethren their trespasses against you. (Mat 6:14-15) Only Yahweh can forgive our trespasses against him. Pray that Yahshua sees our works and that he hears our cries for forgiveness so that as he goes before the Father he can justly ask forgiveness for each of us.