The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

"If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's
commandments, and abide in His love. . . . This is My commandment, That ye love one
another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends."--John 15:10-13.
The importance of the Philadelphian spirit is further emphasized in the fact that its
possession gives positive assurance--is a sure evidence, that one has passed from under
the condemnation that is on the world and has entered upon the new, the heavenly,
spiritual life--lifted upon the plane of this holy, heavenly, brotherhood--and has become a
child of God, a member of the New Creation. The Apostle's words concerning this are:
"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that
loveth not his brother abideth in death." (1 John 3:14.) The measure or standard of this love
is the same as that which Christ exhibited in His love for His disciples, as we read: "By this
we have known love, because He laid down His life on our behalf; and we ought to lay
down our lives for the brethren." (1 John 3:16, Diaglott.) The manifestation of this love is
stated by the Savior to be a distinctive mark, and the greatest possible evidence we can
give to the world that we are His disciples--indeed, it is the greatest possible evidence to
prove, to demonstrate, the Divine authority of the Christian religion. His words to this
effect are: "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to
another." --John 13:35.
The most prominent and striking characteristic of the primitive Church at the time the
promise of the Father was fulfilled and the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them, was
this Philadelphian spirit (brotherly love). This spirit is described in the words:
"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said
any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all
things common. And with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that
lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the
prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the Apostles' feet: and
distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." (Acts 4:32-35.)
This same spirit was manifest in connection with the Second Advent movement, which
occurred toward the close of the Philadelphian period. Of course, we are not to
understand that their undertaking the communistic plan and the distribution of their
possessions necessarily represented the Lord's good pleasure for them at that time, or for
His followers since; nor that it was best for the furtherance of His cause; His providential
overruling in scattering them would indicate to the contrary. However, we certainly have
in this a perfect picture of the spirit of brotherly love, and it is an exhibition of the chief,
the most important, the most desirable of all the Christian graces. This would naturally be
one of the most prominent characteristics in any true reformation or revival, for every such
revival represents simply an effort to restore or bring back normal, primitive conditions
from which there has been a most deplorable departure.