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By Roger A. Scully, Jr.
religion, “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mrk 16:15). This forced contact is taken to
another level when those who hear the word are led by a working faith to render obedience thereto by being
baptized into Christ (Gal 3:27). When one is baptized into Christ he has become a part of the body of Christ, having
been added to the church by the Lord (Ac 2:47). In this relationship the Bible describes that there is to be a certain
closeness, which causes us to cry together and to rejoice together (Rom 12:15). In this we are “of the same mind
one toward another” (v.16). This fellowship is one that is to “provoke one another to love and good works” (Heb 10:
24, 25). It is more than simply fellowship; it is family (Mrk 3:35).
Now, just as we cannot choose who our fleshly family will be, nor can we choose whom our spiritual family will be.
That is to say that the gospel call is given to all (2 Thess 2:14), hence one may obey with whom we have very little in
common, or one may obey with whom we have a great many things in common. It is only natural that we tend to be
drawn closer to those with whom we have things in common; even Jesus had the “inner circle” of James, Peter and
John. However, we cannot allow these natural feelings to cause us to become jealous or begin to despise one
another. We should make a tireless attempt to befriend all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Sadly, however, this
is not always the case.
Christians not getting along, or becoming resentful of other Christians has been taking place in the church since
its conception. There were problems between races, Jews and Gentiles, and problems which seemed to have
existed because of jealousy. For this cause there is much written in the New Testament epistles on how Christians
SHOULD treat one another.
The Ephesian church was one with whom this problem existed. There were Jews and Gentiles in this
congregation, which seems to have caused some division. For this cause the apostle explains that God’s will has
been to unite Jew and Gentile in the body of Christ, which is the church. He explains how that in Christ the two are
“made one,” and that the “middle wall of partition” has been broken down (2:14). He further explained how that God
created of the two “one new man, so making peace” (v.15). In so doing “both” have been “reconciled in one body
unto God” (v.16). In chapter three it is explained that the great mystery of God is that the Gentiles “should be fellow-
heirs,” “fellow-members of the body,” and “fellow-partakers of the promise” (v.6). This is the “eternal purpose of
God, which He purposed in Christ Jesus” (v.11). As such there should be unity and not division. But, there was
division. For this cause Paul wrote, “let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away
from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in
Christ forgave you” (4:31, 32). Just as it is commanded for one to be baptized to be pleasing to God, so are these
things here quoted also commanded. Now, should we fail to follow the teachings as pertaining to our fellow-citizens,
then we are without hope, just as he who refuses to obey the gospel of our Lord, “For whosoever shall keep the
whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all” (Jms 2:10). If we have not been following the
teachings revealed to the Ephesians, then we must repent, turn away from, and embrace our brethren, as we ought.
Paul wasn’t the only apostle who had to deal with problems between brethren; John addressed the issue as well in
his first epistle. In chapter one he wrote that through the preaching of the gospel those who obey the message are
in “fellowship with us: yea and our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (v.3). This fellowship is
continually enjoyed by those who “walk in the light as he is in the light” (v.7), “keeping his word” (2:5). These all
together have “this hope” that we shall “see him even as he is,” and we shall “be like him” (3:2, 3). Yet, it was
needful for John to admonish his readers to “love one another: not as Cain” (vs.11, 12). No, it is a love that will
cause us to “lay down our lives for the brethren” (v.16); it is a love which causes us to “have compassion” on one
another (v.17); it is a love which exists in “deed and in truth” (v.18). John then makes the most sobering statement in
chapter four, “he that loveth not, knoweth not God…beloved if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another”
(vs.7-10). This love is explained by Peter as being “unfeigned love of the brethren…from the heart fervently” (1 Pet
1:22). If we fail to embrace our brethren, we will not be embraced by God (Matt 25:31ff).
Though it is true that due to different personalities we will not always see “eye to eye,” we are sill called upon to
be unified as family, loving one another, rejoicing and weeping together. Do you love your brethren? Are you unified
with them? If you cannot stand the presence of your brethren now, do you really believe you have a home in
heaven, which will be with the brethren?