Brethren

Who are the "brethren of Christ"?

Of course all people professing to be a Christian or a follower of Christ may think he or she is a brethren of Christ but we know that saying you are does not make it so. According to Christ you have to be a doer of the word. This is true even if you think you are born again.

The story below of "Not just my garden" sparked the question:

"The concepts of charitable giving, 'selflessness', and 'doing good for others' are global hallmarks of an upstanding citizen... Why hasn't the ongoing record-breaking charitable giving, and global awareness of doing 'good' for others - together with all the other warm fuzzies of Good & Noble Behavior - brought Heavens' Peace to this planet?"

"Perhaps the charity of 'good' people, drug addicts, LBGT groups, and Apple Pie folks helping others grow vegetables . . . can only ever go so far?"

We know that just loving one another or helping one another or even the poor is not enough. Sodom helped the poor and so did Julius Caesar but the means and the method did not strengthen the poor which was the true sin of Sodom.

Matthew 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

This is why God is judge. He sees deeper into the heart than we do. This is also why we need to be charitable based on the leading of the Holy Spirit and merely by the whims of our own emotions.

With me in paradise

Why did Jesus say today you will be with me in paradise to the thief on the cross next to him?

Luke 23:43 "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

He had not done anything to earn that as a laborer. But God sees the heart. Unfortunately everyone does not see their own heart as well as God sees it. Everyone is in the process of salvation, or not.

This is why each of us may need to reproach one another if we see what we believe to be wrong but we should also be willing to be reproached by others if they think we are wrong. To muffle or censor one another is often a sign that someone is not following the way of God.

Each of us must repent and seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

That process of repentance is about direction.

Who is called into the kingdom and who is sent away?

Christ makes it clear that it is not those who say, but those who do the will of the father.

Jesus also makes it clear that what you do for others, especially those who are "his brethren" can bring y ou salvation if you do it out of love for Him.

Matthew 25:34 "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

So is every poor man the brethren of Christ? Was that parable about helping the poor? The poor you will have always He tells us. That parable was about those who help and support His brethren.

The brethren of Christ was His disciples. It was those men he was training to be His ministers of His Church. Is every man or preacher who preaches about Christ the brethren of Christ or the ones who preach the whole gospel of the kingdom, who seek to do what Christ said to do and the early Church did?

Matthew 12:48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

So who are the brethren of Christ? Who are the true disciples of Christ? And are you supporting them in their work beating daily with love like the heart of Christ?

Matthew 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Matthew 28:10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Mark 3:33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? 34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

Mark 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,

Luke 8:21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Not just my garden

I sent this video about a couple who were not being allowed to grow food in their own yard and it sparked a discussion on the California group. I sent the video while in a conference call with a CORE congregation asking questions about what they can do.

Other congregations ask about if there are any needs in the network when they gather. The heart does not ask if there is need in the body before it beats. It pumps blood daily in the body, not just to support itself but to feed the whole body.

The couple who was being fined 500 dollars a day if they did not destroy their garden knows little or nothing about the fact that they do not own their land and why the government can regulate the use of their land. They just knew the choice to destroy the garden was not right. They appealed to others and got ten thousand signatures and eventually won the privilege of keeping their garden. They did this not just for themselves but for others.

My point is that what they did is a "kingdom track". They began to think about others even though they started just trying to save their own garden. They were doing something like unto the message of the gospel.