Title as Brethren
and Assurance

Up-Dated - Friday, April 04, 2014

Table of Contents
* We are not the natural sons of God
* Sanctification of the brethren
* The lowest brother is still a brother
* The Brethren are at one with Christ
* The Brethren are in the image of Christ

We are not the natural sons of God but are adopted. 
This makes us brethren with Christ, the natural Son of God.

John 20:17  "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."

Heb 2:11  "For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,"

Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren, because He is not worried about our becoming less than brethren, since it is not up to us, but Him.

Take heart, He will never be ashamed of our brethrenship, because He is able to keep all that come to Him, in it.

Shame for Christ, in the above verse, is never based on what we do, but what He does.  If He is not able to keep us saved, then He will be ashamed.  But, if He is able to keep us saved, then He will never be ashamed of us as brethren.

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Sanctification of the brethren
In the above verse, Heb 2.11, it says that the brethren are sanctified.  What is it about sanctification of the brethren, that gives us great assurance?

Heb 10:14  "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

The sanctified brethren are perfected forever.

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The lowest brother is still a brother

Mat 25:40  "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

If a person named John were the very least of the brethren (Heb 2.11 and Heb 10.14 show that you cannot become an un-brethren), this would be the most sinful of the brethren, even then John would be on a level as brother with Christ.

Once that a person is among the brethren, he can be assured that no sin will make him less than the least of the brethren.

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The Brethren are at one with Christ and the Father.

John 17:20  "Neither pray I for these (already saved) alone, but for them (unsaved that are going to be saved) also which shall believe on me through their (already saved that are witnesses) word;"

John 17:21  "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."

The brethren includes: all that are saved; all that are going to be saved; Jesus Christ; the Holy Ghost; and the Father.

Each saint must be encouraged by knowing that once they are part of the brethren, they are brothers with Christ and at-one with the Trinity forever more.

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The Brethren are in the image of Christ

Rom 8:29  "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."

A new brother is made into the image of Jesus.
We must be most assured of our salvation if we . . .
* are the image of Christ in looks
* are the image of Christ in righteousness
* are the image of Christ in guiltlessness
* are the image of Christ . . . and so on . . .

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G. Steven Andres
Psalms 45:17
Missionary Evangelist
Copyright - 1996 to 2010