In His Name Devotionals
PRAYING FOR BRETHREN
In His Name Devotionals
PRAYING FOR BRETHREN
“For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers.” (Ephesians 1:15-16 NIV)
The Ephesian Christians demonstrated two important characteristics of genuine Christian faith: (i) Faith in the Lord Jesus; and (ii) Love for brethren.
“Faith in the Lord Jesus” implies both an affirmation of Christ’s deity and submission to His sovereignty. Because He is God, He is the Sovereign Lord, and therefore men must obey what He commands (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-6).
Your “love of all the saints” is as much a mark of true faith as your love for God. John said, “The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now” (1 John 2:9). In the passage “light” is a metaphor for righteousness and truth, and “darkness” is a metaphor for sin and error. It is sinful and erroneous to claim you love God if you have no love for other believers. Those who love God will love fellow-believers, i.e., brethren, as well.
If you love others, you will pray for them and will praise God for their spiritual progress, as Paul did for the Ephesians; and they will do the same for you. That is a wonderful dynamic within the Body of Christ, one you should diligently pursue.
