Members of the Church are part of an exclusive community. This community is filled with people
who made a vow of loyalty and faithfulness to God.
Sometimes we fail to realize the profound effect we have on other members of the Lord’s body.
We can be the greatest source of motivation and encouragement for our brothers and sisters, or we can be the biggest obstacle they will ever face. Since our interactions are inevitable, we
should consider how we interact with our brethren and what we can bring to these relationships.
We need to pay attention to how we treat our brethren!
It is possible for us to poison a person’s view of God and the Church. Consider the example of
Diotrephes, “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence
among them received us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth,
prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself
receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but
he that doeth evil hath not seen God” (3 John 9-11). There are several disturbing behaviors
noted in these verses.
Love of self, more than the brethren.
Causing strife
Bringing conflict to the church
Instilling distrust among the brethren
Discouragement for those who would engage in fellowship.
Another example, which demonstrates the wrong attitude toward the brethren. In Acts 13, when Paul and Barnabas are dispatched on their first missionary journey, they “came to Pamphylia and John departed from them returned to Jerusalem” (Acts 13:13). John, better known to us as Mark the Gospel writer, left his brethren behind, not to satisfy the flesh; like what we find concerning Demas who, according to 2 Timothy 4:10, loved the world. No, we see a level of immaturity with Mark mixed in with some fear, no doubt, and that combination causes him to separate himself from the great work that was going to take place.
For a third example, follow me to Galatians chapter 2. Peter engages in fellowship with some
Christians, who are Gentiles, but when certain brethren, “came from James, he [Peter] withdrew
and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision” (Galatians 2:12). This
causes no small stir among the Jews that are with Peter, in fact, the example Peter sets is so
anti-Christian that is caused others to fall away, “And the other Jews dissembled likewise with
him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation” (Galatians 2:13).
We can also be a source of great encouragement for our brethren. Joses, who is better known
to us as, Barnabas, the son of consolation. Barnabas is the first to greet Paul as he is coming
back to Jerusalem, for the first time as a child of God. Notice Acts 9:27, “But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.” The apostles were not convinced of Paul’s conversion until after Barnabas declares unto them these words.
What do individuals bring to the brethren?
In the first place, we bring, or should bring, an atmosphere ready to fellowship. After the
inauguration of the Church, we find the Christians, continuing “steadfastly in the apostles’
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” These Christians spent, what
seems to be, every waking moment together so they could build one another up and continue to learn about the Kingdom they share. Secondly, great encouragement is extended to Paul, as we read in Galatians 2:9, “…James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.” Notice Paul and Barnabas received “the right hand of fellowship” a welcoming, if you will, a sign of fellowship. Thirdly, we bring accountability in the daily lives of our brethren. Leading up to one’s state of being saved, we are to publicly confess the name of Jesus. This public confession aids us helping our brothers and sisters stay the course of faithfulness to God. We hear statements like this all to often, “What I do is none of your business.” If we understand that our public confession of faith in Jesus is more than a statement that we “believe that Jesus is the Son of God,” but a verbal contract, if you will, giving permission to everyone who has made the same confession of faith, to hold us accountable for what we do and say then we remove the use of such excuses for bad behavior like, “you have no right to judge me.”
We bring comfort and support to those in need.
There are numerous passages that teach us about our responsibilities to aid and comfort our
fellow brethren, (cf. Philippians 2:1-5; John 11:31; Romans 1:12; 2 Corinthians 7:13). We do
have time to adequately wade through these passages. Let us suffice to say this, the way we
approach our brethren will demonstrate our love for the Lord. Jesus says, “love the Lord the
God with all they heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength…”
(Mark 12:30). How do we accomplish this directive? The answer is in verse 31, “And the second is like, this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”
God created the greatest support system known to mankind, it is the "Ekklesia," the called-out
ones. We could not get from baptism to the grave, faithfully, without the help and support of our
brethren.
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