The Secret of Brotherly Love

By Andrew Murray

Is biblical and God-honoring love attainable between human beings? As a part of his classic Secret Series devotionals, Andrew Murray wrote this month-long devotional to remind believers that this kind of love is not only attainable, but it is commanded. Through the gracious spirit of God, believers can be a flowing stream of God’s love to the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: CLC Publications
• Release date: Nov 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781619582798

Andrew Murray

ANDREW MURRAY (1828-1917) was a church leader, evangelist, and missionary statesman. As a young man, Murray wanted to be a minister, but it was a career choice rather than an act of faith. Not until he had finished his general studies and begun his theological training in the Netherlands, did he experience a conversion of heart. Sixty years of ministry in the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, more than 200 books and tracts on Christian spirituality and ministry, extensive social work, and the founding of educational institutions were some of the outward signs of the inward grace that Murray experienced by continually casting himself on Christ. A few of his books include The True Vine, Absolute Surrender, The School of Obedience, Waiting on God, and The Prayer Life.

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INTRODUCTION

The subject of Love, with which this little book deals, is one of the most difficult and profound of themes. It is no easy task to ascend to heaven and there behold the heavenly glory as an ocean of holy, all-embracing love! … and then to return to earth and here see how, among men, instead of brotherliness, hatred, with all its sad results, has characterized the history of mankind. Yes, and it reached its climax in the rejection and crucifixion of the eternal love embodied in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Think of the state of the world at present, and then consider the power that the Evil One has to divide even God’s children from each other in sometimes bitter enmity. What a task it is to reconcile God’s everlasting Father-love and the sad strife seen among brethren. How difficult it becomes to recommend this love so as to find for it an entrance into men’s hearts! How shall we, above all, persuade God’s children that living in the love of God and in love to the brethren is not only possible but a plain duty, and worth the sacrifice of all to possess and to proclaim it?

At times I have felt as though I must give up writing this little book. People will not believe that it is possible, through God’s Holy Spirit, to be so filled with the love of God and of the Lord Christ that love as streams of living water shall flow forth from them. They will not believe that God’s Word speaks the absolute truth when it says: In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Rom. 8:37); [Nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (8:39).

And yet I felt compelled to write, for the Word of God is living and powerful and abides forever. I came to see, as never before, how inseparably faith in Christ and love to the brethren are bound together. New light was shed on the text: This is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment (1 John 3:23).

But chiefly I have gained fresh insight into the reason for such a lack of love to God, and of love to the brethren and all mankind. Many a Christian wearies himself in the attempt to love always, for so often he fails. And the reason for this failure is simply that we have no power in ourselves to love even God (much less our brethren or our enemies) because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be (Rom. 8:7). Our old nature—the old Man—loves to do its own will and to gratify its sinful desires. To love the great and holy God; to love Christ, who first loved us; to love our brethren and our enemies, is impossible to the carnal mind. Such love is not in ourselves! We can only receive it from above—when we cast ourselves down before God with a sense of our own helplessness and unworthiness, that He may fill us.

When a Christian comes to understand that the love wherewith God and Christ love him should be in him too—and not merely as a pleasant experience but as a divine life-power, abiding in him—he can have assurance that the Spirit of God longs to effect this love in him. And as he believes this, and surrenders himself fully to the Holy Spirit, he will find that he can and will love all men.

This truth having taken possession of me anew, I feel that I must pass it on to others. The love of God, with which we may love Him and our fellow men, has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5). Yes, the fruit of the Spirit is love—which includes all the long-suffering and kindness and goodness and patience needed in our association with our fellow men (see Gal. 5:22–23).

Because I