WHO ARE THE BROTHERHOOD?

Eph 1:1-12
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in
Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good
pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his
grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed
in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both
which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who
worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood . Fear God. Honour the king.

I. THE BROTHERHOOD IS LIMITED.

A. Those that do the will of God.
1. Matt 12:46-50
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with
him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren ?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren !
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and
mother.

2. Matt 5:43-48
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray
for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and
on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

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 3. Matt 7:21-27
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the
will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast
out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which
built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not:
for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man,
which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and
great was the fall of it.

II. CONDITIONS OF BROTHERHOOD.

A. Those who obey Christ.
1. Acts 3:22-23 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up
unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from
among the people.

2. Matt 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

3. Heb 5:8-9 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And
being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

4. Rom 6:17-18 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the
heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the
servants of righteousness.

B. Those who become like Christ.

1. 1 Peter 1:15-23 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of
conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the
time of your sojourning here in fear:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for
you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and
hope might be in God.
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the
brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth
for ever.
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 2. 1 Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian , let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God
on this behalf.

3. Acts 11:25-26 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him,
he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the
church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

III. CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE IN THE BROTHERHOOD.

A. Always working toward unity.
1. Gal 5:13-16
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love
serve one another .
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another , take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

2. Eph 4:1-6
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

3. Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one
another;

4. 1 Cor 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak
the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the
same mind and in the same judgment.

5. Phil 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

B. Tenderhearted and forgiving.

1. Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another , even as God for
Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

C. Loving all those in the brotherhood.

1. 1 Thess 4:9-10 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves
are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all
Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

2. 1 Peter 1:22-23 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto
unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born
again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for
ever.

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D. Different from those in the world.
1. 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;
that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous
light:

E. Enablers to greatness.
1. Heb 10:24-25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another :
and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.