By Apostle André Pelser
Peter gives a check-list for spiritual growth in his second epistle that adds up to wonderful promises. He starts off by saying add to your faith virtue and ends up with add brotherly kindness and brotherly love to your faith. Then he goes on to explain how it will help you to make your calling and election sure, it will keep you from stumbling and it will open up a way for you into the eternal kingdom of God. (II Peter 1: 5-11)
Why is the devil so adamant in spoiling relationships between brothers? Why does he attack it so severely? Because he knows the blessing it brings and wants to spoil the blessing he will never receive.
Psalm 133:1 David wrote how beautiful it is when brothers dwell together in unity, because God commands his blessing on it.
From the beginning the devil attacked brotherly relationships. Cain hated Abel because Abel’s offering was acceptable to God and his was not. He tried to burn vegetables instead of brining a lamb offering like they were instructed to do. So, he killed Abel and became the first murderer.
Esau sold his birth right for a pot of lentil soup to Jacob and then hated him for it. In the end they were reconciled though.
Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him, the dreamer, and sold him as a slave to slave traders who sold him in Egypt. He became a leader in Egypt and managed all the affairs of Pharaoh. When there was a great drought his brothers came for help to Egypt and at first did not recognize Joseph, but he recognized them and helped them with provision. They were also reconciled, and as a result Pharaoh gave them a choice piece of land where they could live. They received the blessing of brothers dwelling together in unity.
Moses and his half-brother Aaron worked together to deliver Israel from Egypt. But when Moses went up to the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments, Aaron constructed a golden calf and told Israel it is their god that led them out of Egypt. When Moses came down the mountain with the command that they should not serve any other god, they were dancing around the golden calf. Moses flattened the golden calf and threw gold dust in their drinking water. It affected many of them. There was no blessing upon the disunity.
Miriam, the sister of Moses, and Aaron rebelled against Moses and thought they could do a better job of leading Israel. They did not submit to the Lord’s plan that appointed Moses as the leader. They were struck with leprosy. Moses had to intercede for their healing.
Jesus’ own brothers mocked Him and said He was mad. They mocked and said, ‘why don’t you go and show yourself at the feast?’ They meant He should perform some miracles to show how great He was. But He refused. Eventually, one of His brothers, James, became a Pastor in the first Church in Acts.
Peter denied Jesus and Judas betrayed Him. Paul was betrayed by his brothers in the Lord. The Judaizers who wanted to keep the Gospel just for the Jews, persecuted Paul and raised up men of a baser sort to persecute him in every town he went to on his missions.
Paul and Barnabas had a great fall out over Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, because Mark deserted them on one of the missionary journeys and went back home. Eventually Paul and Mark were reconciled, and Paul admitted that Mark was valuable for the ministry. Mark wrote the first Gospel. There was a blessing on their reconciliation.
God commands His blessing where brothers can dwell together in unity. When God commands, nothing can stop it!
Jesus gave clear instructions in Luke 18 that if you think a brother has something against you that you should go and sort it out with that brother. If he does not listen to you, take and elder and sort it out between the two of you.
I have found that most of the time it is merely a misunderstanding or a wrong perception. The devil uses small things to spoil the blessing of God. If you have something against anyone, sort it out. Don’t let a misunderstanding spoil the blessing.
Learn to forgive one another as God forgave us for Christ’s sake. Then we become imitators of God. (Ephesians 4:32 and 5:1)
Jesus is the Firstborn from the dead among many brothers. He is our elder brother. We are all brothers together with Him in the Household and Family of God. We have to learn to live together in peace and unity in order to obtain the promised blessing.
If you have anything against anyone, make up your mind right now to sort it out as soon as you can and receive the blessing of God on your life!
Photo by juan pablo rodriguez