Let Philadelphia Appear

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.