WHO
IS MY BROTHER?
Dan
Rogers, III
The title
of this essay raises a question that needs to be seriously considered
by every child of God today. I say this because it would seem that
presently there are some brethren who do not always know a brother or
sister in Christ when they see one!
Recently,
someone provided me with a copy of a “church bulletin” in
which its editor made a public reply to a personal letter he had
received from another brother in Christ. The editor, who had been
trying to provoke a debate with the other brother, stated in part:
“From your letter you appear to have apprehensions about it
because you do not want to see ‘two brothers’ at each
other’s throats. . . We are not brothers in Christ!!! I do not
consider a man who thinks instrumental music is scriptural and
doesn’t believe works has anything to do with salvation a
brother!”
It would
seem, from what he says, that this brother’s criteria for
determining brotherhood is conformity to his opinions. As such, if an
individual conforms to his opinions on certain “major issues,”
he will “consider” that person to be his brother in
Christ. On the other hand though, if an individual does not conform
to his opinions on those “major issues,” he will not
“consider” that person to be his brother in Christ.
However,
contrary to what this brother, as well as others, may think, the
criteria for determining brotherhood is not conformity to one’s
opinions. Rather, brotherhood is determined by Fatherhood! Paul
states in Galatians 3:26-29: “You are all sons of God through
faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you were united with Christ in
baptism have been clothed with Christ. There is neither Jew nor
Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ
Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed,
and heirs according to the promise.” According to what Paul
here states, all those who have been united with Christ in baptism,
and as such have been clothed with Him, belong to Him, are all one in
Him, and are sons of God. This means that those who are sons
of God belong to the family of God, having God as their Father.
Likewise it means that all those who have God as their Father are
brethren in God’s family. Thus, we indeed see that the
criteria for determining brotherhood is Fatherhood.
As such,
it really does not amount to a “hill of beans” in regard
to whether or not I “consider” someone to be my brother
in Christ. What I “consider” about the person has nothing
to do with his relationship with God. If God is that person’s
Father, then that person is my brother, whether I “consider”
him to be such or not and whether I like it or not!
Too, just
as what I “consider” has nothing to do with whether or
not one is my brother in Christ, so it is that our differences of
opinion over the teachings of the Scriptures have nothing to do with
the matter. If the individual has God as his Father, then he is my
brother in Christ, even if we disagree over what one or both of us
may be prone to regard as a “major issue.”
Therefore, since the answer to our question is that my brother in Christ is anyone who has God as his Father, let us begin to acknowledge and treat our brethren as just that—BRETHREN!—619 S. Chestnut, Marshfield, Mo. 65706
Church
of Christ. when used as a distinguishing name or denominational
title, is just as unscriptural as Church of God when it is used by
Pentecostals.—G. C. Brewer. Autobiography, p. 137