means it. By contrast, the false teachers show no love for God’s family. They do not show brotherly love, but do ‘harm’ (2:13), and ‘entice people’ (2:18). In the end they destroy God’s people (2:1). The final ingredient is the need to love, agapē. Although this word is usually explained as uniquely Christian love, this is not necessarily the case.13 Here it seems to mean not so much the love a Christian has for a fellow Christian (which was philadelphia), as love for anyone, Christian
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