Faithful
06-27-2009, 09:38 PM
Let Philadelphia Appear
If through God’s dealings with us and our work we are able to open the way of service to the one-talent persons, we shall see for the first time what brotherly love actually is: Philadelphia shall appear. Today we must have brotherly love as well as government. I believe in authority, but I also believe in brotherly love. Without authority, the church can make no progress. "Didst keep my word"—this is a statement that reflects authority. "And didst not deny my name"—this too is a statement that reflects authority (Rev. 3.8). So that Philadelphia is identified by these two authorities; yet Philadelphia itself is brotherly love. All the brethren serve in love. And when this appears in our day we shall know what the church truly is; otherwise, we will simply follow in the train of the Roman Catholic and the Protestant systems. We will not know what the brotherly love and the authority of Philadelphia are.
If through God’s dealings with us and our work we are able to open the way of service to the one-talent persons, we shall see for the first time what brotherly love actually is: Philadelphia shall appear. Today we must have brotherly love as well as government. I believe in authority, but I also believe in brotherly love. Without authority, the church can make no progress. "Didst keep my word"—this is a statement that reflects authority. "And didst not deny my name"—this too is a statement that reflects authority (Rev. 3.8). So that Philadelphia is identified by these two authorities; yet Philadelphia itself is brotherly love. All the brethren serve in love. And when this appears in our day we shall know what the church truly is; otherwise, we will simply follow in the train of the Roman Catholic and the Protestant systems. We will not know what the brotherly love and the authority of Philadelphia are.