MEDITATING ON BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER
And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians:
and they shall fight every one against his brother,
and every one against his neighbour; city against city,
and kingdom against kingdom. (Isaiah 19:2)
Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and
the father the son; and children shall rise up against
their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
(Mark 13:12
*******************************************
Something came out of my mouth yesterday that has me perplexed.
I was speaking to a friend about my liberal, atheist cousin.
She challenged me regarding Palin and some of you helped
me with some good responses. My cousin has three children.
Two of them are gay. We don’t talk much because we don’t
agree on anything. But now I’m finding myself on Facebook
with friends and relatives and I don’t want to filter/edit myself.
(A BIG issue I have with the site.) I don’t feel free to be myself
the way I can be on Free Republic.
When my friend said, “brother will be against brother”, without
hesitation I said, “but she’s not a Christian”.
Now I can’t stop asking myself why I said that. Could I actually
believe that Scripture means Christians will be fighting against
each other? I know believers and non believers will not agree.
Then it came to me. Perhaps it’s because of all the “brothers
and sisters” who bicker amongst each other right here on
Free Republic?
Can’t wait for your comments.
It’s all in the “context” (the following from Matthew 10)
18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
and ...
25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!
and ...
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;
36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’
—
for the full context of this particular passage...
Matthew 10:16-42
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.
18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;
20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21 Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.
23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!
26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;
36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’
37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
There are other sections I could go into, also, but this is a good start, anyway. If someone else wants to pick it up, they can... :-)
We must remember all that are “brothers”are not “brothers” and all that are “sisters” are not “sisters.”
All that at are “pastors” or “preachers” etc. are not either. As goats are not sheep, neither are hogs and dogs!
The Lord said, “my sheep hear my voice, and they follow me!”
Don't know if thats what your talking about or not...
I think yes, even true Christians will get sidetracked by non essentials and there really is no way around it but through it. You can’t just ‘agree to disagree’ if you happen to be convinced a nonessential is an essential.
The only solution is to keep in the Word and let it correct you, to strive to have your mind renewed (e.g. your thinking and beliefs) more and more in line with the truth of God’s word.
You simply cannot do that without debate and discussion and sometimes hard feelings. It’s part of the fallen world. All we can do is try, and ask forgiveness for our failures.
But yes, It also means physical families will be separated by the truth.... those who don’t want it will be even FURTHER separated from those that do, than the truth lovers will be divided amongst themselves by disagreements.