Wednesday, May 17, 2023

"So-Called Brothers"

1st Kings 20.32-33 NIV 

“Wearing sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, ‘Your servant Ben-Hadad says: “Please let me live.”’ 

“The king answered, ‘Is he still alive? He is my brother.’

“The men took this as a good sign and were quick to pick up his word. ‘Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!’ they said.

Ben-Hadad was no brother. King Ahab should not have called him one nor believed the son of Hadad when he claimed to be one. Ben-Hadad was the drunken pagan leader of Aram who started, but could not finish, a war with Israel. With his tail kicked and firmly wedged between his legs, the defeated leader of Aram crawled to Ahab hoping for mercy. Ahab made a serious error by referring to his enemy as “my brother.” Ben-Hadad’s people capitalized on Ahab’s poor judgment and “were quick to pick up his word.” They presented their fallen king of Aram as “brother Ben-Hadad.”

A sister or brother is a family member. By faith in Christ, I belong to the family of God. “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10.9). That profession enacted by faith alone makes you my brother or sister. If someone pretends to be a “brother,” I am commanded to keep my distance...

“...I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is
an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard,
or a swindler — not even to eat with such a one.”
1st Corinthians5.11 NASU

Don’t trust everyone who calls himself a “brother.” Ben-Hadad was not a brother to Ahab. He was an enemy of Israel who pretended to be part of the family to save his life. Ahab was just stupid enough to believe him. Eight years later Ahab lost his life in a battle against “brother Ben-Hadad.” That’s how the king of Israel was repaid for showing mercy to a so-called “brother.”

Jesus called false brothers “ravenous wolves” in “sheep’s clothing.” Beware of these liars...

“Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances
are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Dont be impressed with charisma;
look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say.”
Matthew 7.15-16 “The Message”

Be careful who you call a “brother.”

5 comments:

Unknown said...

With everything going on today, this is even more true today than before especially with the churches going to extreme liberalism, ignoring Gods truth and laws, and teaching false ungodly doctrines.

We see churches closing their eyes to abortion, sexual perversion, and tolerance to the point of ignoring the teachings of Christ and God His Father.

Wolves comes in many disguises and as Jesus teaches:

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
(James 4:4 NIV)

As Christians we cannot be freinds of the world and God, we must pick our sides and stand firm in the beliefs we profess.

This was a really good article.

davescriven said...

Thank you JOV. I fully agree with you, my brother.

Kelly L said...

I remember a movie I saw as a young child..you've probably seen it - called "A thief in the night" the rapture happens and many are left behind.. and one girl was talking to another and she asked - why are you here- you've always said you were a christian and the girl replied...anyone can say they are a christian... I must have been 4 years old and I still remember that sentence...how true..

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Anonymous said...

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