Firstly, it is important to define what the word brother means according to the dictionary and spiritually according to what is biblicle to what God teaches us.
By this definition we will come to a better knowledge who is our brother and who we should call our brothers and sisters.
Definition of the word BROTHER/BRETHERN:A man or boy related to one another either by having the same parents or step parents in common, half brother; foster brother, a freind who is like a brother; a fellow member of the SAME RACE, CREED, PROFESSION,OR RELIGIOUS organization.
In other words a brother is all members of a particular race, or of the humam male numbered among the same kinship group, nationality, race, profession, etc., as another; an associate; a fellow member, fellow countryman, kindred people, fellow man, etc.: a fraternity brothern race in general: All men are brothers.
Definition of Brother as according to when brothers or brethern is used in God's Word: A man or boy who has the same bond between each other in Christian beliefs and faith; a common unity in the faith in Jesus Christ or religious beliefs. A countrymen or tribe.
Used as a slang, brother denotes freind, or same race or creed, or profession or fellow man, kindred people.
As kinsmen of the saem parents Genesis chapter 27
As of the same father Genesis chapter 28
As of the same mother Judges chapter 8
As of a countryman Exodus chapter 2 and Acts chapter3
As of membero f the same tribe II Samual chapter 19
As of the saem human race Matthew chapter chapter 7, and the list goes on and on.
In Romans chapter 9, Paul calls the unsaved Jews his brothers, by saying this, " I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ FOR MY BRETHEN, MY KINSMEN ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, WHO ARE THE ISRALEITES, TO WHOM PERTAIN THE ADOPTION, THE GLORY, THE COVENANT, THE GIVING OF THE LAW, THE SERVICE OF GOD, AND THE PROMISE."
When Peter stood before the council to be judged for healing the lame man, and as he spoke to them about crucifying our Lord, so who was he speaking to? Surely, these men were not saved nor were they of the same faith as Peter in Christ. Yet, Peter says these things to them in Acts chapter 3, "Yet now, brethern, I know that you did it in ignrance, as also were your rulers,. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ would suffer, He has fulfilled.
In Acts chapter 22: verses 1-30, when Paul was facing the mob he said this, Men, brethen, adn fathers hear my defense before you now." And when they (the mob) heard that he (Paul) spoke to them in the Hebrew kanguage, they kept silent all the more. Then Paul said, I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamalief, taught accpording to the strictbness of our father's law ( Paul is referring to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), abd was zealous to ward God as you all are today... then he continues.
One thing we do know is that Paul was not speaking to Christian believers when he called them brothers, he was speaking to those Jews, his kinsmen who were in the crowd to stone him for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, his countrymen, his kinsmen of the same tribe and blood in brith if nationality, Israelites, His Jewsih brothers who were not SAVED.
Most importantly is that one is consider a brother or a sister spiritually if he or she are in Christ, and of the household of faith. Holding fast to the same beliefs in Jesus Christ.
One is considered a brother or a sister if they are of same blood line as in family, or step family related as relatives.
One is considered a brother or sister if they are our contrymen, race and creed.
One is considered a brother or a sisiter of they are of kindred spirit.
One is considered a brother or a sister if they are of the same tribe.
One is consider a brother or sister if they are of the human race created by God, bloodline connection through Adam Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Does not matter what your religous beliefs are, or in whom you believe, you are my brother and my sister. And even the more spiritually if you are in Christ Jesus by faith..
So, who Can I Call My Brother Or My Sister... Every human Creature God has created upon the face of this green earth!:rocknroll:
Hey, there brotha! Hey, there sista!:dancingp::peace:
I see you are naturally talented with logic, to the point where you use scripture to show the word "brother"="neighbor" and. "brother"="enemy". I also see you are very adept at not understanding verses that contain truth in conflict with your opinions. Yes, you have amazing powers!
ET with your awesome grasp of hermeneutics, please do us the pleasure of dazzling us your exegesis on the following verse: Matt 23:9 "And do not call anyone on earth "father", for you have one Father, and he is in heaven."
ET, Humbly allow me, if you will, to give you a hint to understanding Mark 3:35 and the above verse : We are on a Christian forum, specifically a Bible discussion forum. I know with your vast array of knowledge on plethora of topics it might be difficult, but please try to limit your answer to the Biblically spiritual for those of us less educated. If you do this, you just might have a chance at seeing the truth presented in these passages.
I really hate to burden you any further, however with your amazing powers of logic and deduction, who can resist asking another question of you. Would you ever so kindly interpret the following verse in light of your recent posts :
Luke 14:26 " If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, is brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple."
So, who can I call my brother or sister.... Every human creature God has created upon the face of this green earth.____________ Sorry ( I may be accused of attacking et) but that statement is un-true. There are children of the devil who are not my brothers and sisters. _____________________________ 1John 3:10--- In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. _____________________________ Why would I call the children of the devil my brothers and sisters? I wouldn't. Loving sinners who are lost has nothing to do with calling every creature God created my brother or sister. Just because we love our enemies doesn't change the fact that they are our enemies.
There is no where in scripture wherein we are told NOT to call any person your brother or sister... know the difference between what scriptures says and what you would like for it to say to make your own opinions and personal believe .
James replies:
Look, ET, I like your heart, you want to be as open and loving as you can be towards all people. I understand that. However, we MUST be more discerning than that.
Jesus warned about False Teachers. He said there would be many.
The apostle Paul said the same thing, and PLENTY of his letters to the churches are DEALING WITH false teachers.
In Galatia there were the Judiazers, who said that trusting in Jesus was not enough, so you had to have faith PLUS works to be saved, and Paul said we are not even to EAT with them. Paul condemned them with the strongest words possible. Maybe you should read Galatians on this subject.
Paul talks about removing people from church who were teaching false things, etc.
"Who can I call my brother or sister in Christ"?
Well, according to Scripture, everyone who is in Christ IS my brother and sister.
But that presupposes they are IN Christ.
So, another way to say it is
"what are the essentials of the faith".
Now, I think you would agree with me ET that we try and be as inclusive as the Bible allows.
I know some Christians who have a very long list of things one must believe in before they would consider you a brother or sister in the faith.
I try to keep my list as short as possible, which means I don't want to be stricter than the Bible is.
Even If I keep it to two things:
1 Repent from all sin as a way of life.
2. Trust in Jesus ALONE for salvation.
That still presupposes a person believes the Bible is the word of God, etc.
But even then, that means that I don't consider Roman Catholics, JW's and Mormons to be my brother or sister in Christ.
Those groups all believe in faith PLUS works in order to be saved.
We have to draw a line somewhere, just because of false teachers.
I accept anyone who has turned from sin as a way of life and is trusting in Christ ALONE for salvation.
That means I accept everyone from the Chinese peasant who can even read, but has heard about Jesus and accepted Him, to the Methodist down the street.
Cat, you're correct. This has nothing whatsoever to do with calling a man a brothers who is in the faith or those who profess or confess Christ, or going to heaven.
This is based on the DEFINITIONS of the word brother both naturally and spiitually, and those who are called brothers. What is the distinction between the two, which I have presented in the definition?
This is not about a brother who is in the faith, this is about men who are called brothes because of relationship connections based on close connection or ties, and of the word brother in the natrual. As I have provided scriptures wherein Paul and Peter referred to their fellow countrymen who were not Christians as their brothers who were NOT in Christ, yet they called them brothers based on their common connection bieng Jews. Don't know how many time I h=can repeat the same thing over, but them I suppose 2sparrow pays no attention to definitions...
So how can anyone deny scripture? Were the Jews Paul called brothers, saved or unsaved? I have provided the scriptures in Acts chapter 22; and Acts chapter 23; and Romans chapter 9, so who were they calling brothers? Did the Judaizers believe in Jesus the Christ? NO!.., but yet they were called brothers...why?
2sparrow, you are so spiritually informed, As for Jesus saying call no man Father, since you provided the scripture you should tells us what Jesus is speaking about. There is a reason why He says this... which has nothing to with calling a man a brother. You have not provided any scriptures from God's word to support nothing you are saying. You ramble on and on, and are only giving your own personal opinions. And you stilll have not explained or affirmed nothing you say. Nor explained what Jesus is speaking about in Mark chapter 3, when he stated that only those who do the will of God are His mother, and brother and sister. What was eh saying here?
Maybe you can answer this,
My question to you is, What is the difference between a man being called a brother in the faith, and a man being called a brother who is a countryman, or kinsmen or of the same profession, or of the same race, or bloodline connection?
Deborah, so if a man regardless if he is your brother by birth, and is not a believer in Christ, are you saying that he is of the devil? Please provide scriptures to back up your claims where Jesus or Paul said that the lost who do not know Jesus Christ are of the devil?
I always thought that when Jesus or Paul called anyone of the devil, this was a rebuke when the person spoke out agianst the things of God. Not because the person sat in darkness of unbelief and needed to be witnessed to about Jesus.
So from what you and 2sparrow are saying is, that a person who does not believe in God, they are of the devil? And if the Bible references are only for Christians believers who are our brothers, and we are to ONLY call them brothers, and this is how we are to be toward each other, and not be toward those outside who don't know Christ, then we've got a big problem somewhere.
Because the Bible I read also instructs Christian believers how we are to not only be toward other believers who are weak in the word and in the faith, but we are taught how to also be toward those who are not Christians in order to win some with the same love Christ showed toward us while we were YET SINNERS!
So y'all help me out here understand what I thought I knew but now you guys are putting a new twist on what God is saying... help me see the error of my ways according to YOUR teachings.
I never said a brother by birth who isn't a believer in Christ is of the devil nor did I say the lost who do not know Jesus Christ are of the devil. I shared a scripture -1John 3:10- it clearly tells us satan has children and I said I wouldn't call them my brother or sister which according to this topic post is exactly what you think we should do. Every human creature upon the face of this green earth is what you said. You sure do have a knack for twisting what people say and put your own words in their mouth, et. You accused me and Ts of saying things we didn't. Please stop falsely accusing the brethren and explain why you would call children whose father is satan your brother or sister.
A-men P.J! et, we can read. When you accuse people of saying things that we clearly see they didn't say it makes you appear foolish. What YOU said is: So who can I call my brother or sister..Every human creature God has ever created upon the face of the earth. "WRONG"! YOU also said --Does not matter what your religious beliefs are, or IN WHOM you believe, you are my brother and my sister. "WRONG AGAIN" . It surprises me that a person as spiritually informed as yourself would make such statements. The scriptures I shared earlier from Philippians were examples of some of the human creatures God created that I won't be calling brotha or sista. That's what it had to do with this topic, since you asked. If you'd turn loose of some of that pride and stop trying to prove that anything you say is right, God may be able to use you to help others. James gave you some good advise by the way.
Here is another word with meaning : "context". In the scriptures you posted the context is clear; fellow Jews. I am a member of IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers), in this context, these members refer to each other as brother and sister. We all know in the context of race often the word brother or sister is used. And of course in the context of siblings brother and sister is used. What do all these contexts have in common?.... they are contexts of the world.
ET this is a Biblical Discussion section, what is there to discuss about accepted worldly contexts?....Aren't they all accepted by the world? Why even Christians accept that the world views the word "brother" in its own context. So again what is there to discuss?
Therefore with the above settled, (unless you persist in your quarrelsome behavior) we have nothing left to discuss but the Bible says. The Bible says we are not to be like the world. The Bible says we are new creations, reborn into the family of God. Jesus is very clear who we are to consider our brothers and sisters. You can accept or deny the words of Jesus, that would be your choice. However there is no need to twist my words or put words in the mouth of others, or try to make it about love, it is your choice to accept or reject the special relationship between believers which transcends the context of this world. It is my opinion; those Christians who use the word "brother" indiscriminately, disrespect the family of God, the words of Jesus and do not fully appreciate what God has given them.
