Blood Brothers

1 Corinthians 6:6-8 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!

One of the interesting things about Bible college, is that we learn part of the bible in Greek as part of the class. And an interesting feature in the Pauline Epistles (letters written by Paul) is that when Paul uses the word brother and brotherhood, Paul wrote it in a way gave the meaning 'blood brothers' and not just cousin brothers or brothers by agreement.

And when we think back, what does the term blood brothers could actually mean, we find that it's powerful stuff. Don't all of us, at certain times find that we couldn't get along with someone else (and perhaps, it's not us that doesn't want to try), or maybe we get worked out over the fact that some other Christian had dissapointed us, failed us, frustrated us or even cheated us (!)

And at times like this, we tend to draw swords, and its not the sword of the spirit mind you but swords to slash and cut the other person. We tend to gossip, slander and even talk bad about others. And sometimes, we tend to do it without noticing we're actually doing it. (Correct? Come on, admit it, most of us fall to it)

When God gave us the command to not forget meeting up regularly, God knew there were going to be problems of humans and egos getting in the way. Fellowship is good, but all the backbiting and politics that comes with a bigger church does not. (Not that there isn't church politics in a smaller church, but mostly, it's more controlled)

But then, if you look at the word brother, that appeared 34 times in the Pauline Epistles (NKJV), you find that Paul mostly wrote on how should we treat a fellow believer, a brother in Christ, a blood brother.

And he even wrote on the issue of sueing a brother. Would we sue if we're cheated? (though the issue of murder and rape are altogether different things, they're criminal~) And what if the amount is substantial? Or we're being slandered? Do we just let it go? Forgive? Isn't that unfair?

But when Paul used the word Blood Brothers, and blood is thicker than water, how than should we go about it? And even in this, how then do we treat our fellow Christians? As normal friends? Or do we really see them as our brothers and sisters. Maybe it's the fact that we've gotten comfortable and there isn't any REAL persecution around.

And then, we could apply this in our churches and CFs. Let us overlook minor offences and discuss the major ones, instead of backbiting and gossiping. Sometimes, people do not do things to offend us on purpose. Perhaps it was their upbringing or their past. Let us love even the difficult ones with compassion, cause God had loved us 1st.

And finally, a thought for you to ponder as you leave. If we can't love one another while here on earth, what about eternity with the person you hate?

God Bless~