Helping Fellow Saints to Be Faithful
By: Brian A. Yeager

    Most Christians realize that through studying the Bible we can know what God requires of us (II Timothy 2:15, John 5:39, and Acts 17:10-11).  Obedience to God’s will is required for one to leave this life and have life eternal in Heaven with the Lord (Matthew 7:21).  Upon studying the word of God Christians will realize that we’ll answer for our own actions, and not the actions of others (II Corinthians 5:10-11 and Romans 14:12).  Yet, while we will not answer for one another we also have an obligation to aid one another in being faithful.  The Hebrew writer penned:  (Hebrews 3:13) “But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”  Christians seem to forget this needful part of the faithful Christian life.  We should have enough love for one another to want to help each other get to Heaven.

Loving Your Brethren

    The Hebrew writer penned: (Hebrews 13:1) “Let brotherly love continue.”  The Apostle John penned: (I John 3:11-18) “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.  Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.  Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”  Loving our brethren is not a good idea someone came up with, it is a command of God.

    Think about the implication of not being able to love our brethren.  Think about whether or not we hate or love our brethren when we fail to aid them in getting to Heaven.  (I John 4:20) “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”  Loving our brethren would surely be motivation in aiding our brethren in our goal of getting to Heaven through the Grace of God and obedience to His will.  One of the greatest ways we could help our brethren is by being the example they need to see in a faithful Christian.

Being An Example To Each Other

    Brethren are always aware that they are to let their lights shine before men, and rightly so (Matthew 5:14-16).  Yet, we as Christians often times forget that we must be examples to our brethren as well.  One of the greatest teaching tools is that of being an example for others to see.  Older Christians ought to be an example to the younger Christians (Titus 2:2-6).  Sadly, many older brothers and sisters in Christ fail to realize that they are the ones the younger saints are looking up to for an example.  Then, in their lack of wisdom they do things that can lead astray those who look to them for a pattern of Christian living.  Christians ought to ask themselves if they are the proper example not only for non-Christians but also for fellow saints.  Brethren should not look upon this as a burden, but as a privilege.  The Rich Man in Luke chapter sixteen, sure wished he could have come back to earth and warned some whom he loved (Luke 16:23-31).

Conclusion

    Helping each other get to Heaven should not be something that is difficult to do.  Those who worship together should want that to last for an eternity.  The Lord so effectively stated: (Matthew 12:48-50) “But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?  And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”  As the Lord pointed out we are a spiritual family because we share in being obedient to God.  Again, as the Hebrew writer said in verse one of chapter thirteen “Let brotherly love continue”!