The Bible teaches Christian ethics, and three of them are contained in this text. Firstly, there is the admonition to demonstrate brotherly love among believers. It is in the context of this that unity, a precondition for God’s blessing, can be found. Love among believers is a witness to the world that we are Christ’s disciples. The second ethical instruction is about precedence. Every believer is to prefer others to themselves. In this sense, we can have a healthy rivalry in the assembly of God’s people.

Every believer is to prefer others to themselves. In this sense, we can have a healthy rivalry in the assembly of God’s people.

The third ethical instruction is contained in verse 11. It makes for a better reading in the Amplified version. “Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavour; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.” A church aglow, burning with the Spirit, and serving the Lord is reminiscent of the Church described in the Acts of the Apostles. Beginning from the day of Pentecost when they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, believers spared no expense in loving the Lord and revealing Him to the world. As a result, they experienced continuous increase both in number and impact. From God’s plan, that remains His template for today’s Church as well. It is our privilege to experience the full force of the Holy Spirit at work, and we must never settle for less.