FALSE BRETHREN:
A PERIL IN PAUL’S DAY, A PERIL IN OUR OWN
In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, the apostle Paul listed some of the dangers he had faced and, with God’s help, overcome.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Among the many trials and troubles Paul listed, he included “in perils among false brethren.” False brethren were reckoned to be a bad enough danger to be included with beatings, hunger, thirst, shipwrecks, robbers and other trials on Paul’s list.
What exactly is the danger of false brethren?
Paul gives us a clue in Galatians 2:4.
And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
The false brethren sneaked in to “spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.”
The church continues to be plagued with false brethren today. These sneak into the church pretending to be brethren: some ignorantly, some willfully.
These are those who attempt to re-introduce the law of Moses–which has no power to save.
These are those who are wolves, preaching heresies and leading those unaware to destruction.
These are those who are false teachers and false prophets; who introduce doctrines of demons and damnable heresies.
These are those who have itching ears; who follow after fables.
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
—2 Timothy 4:4
These are those who advocate compromise with the world.
They all have one thing in common: they pretend to be the brethren; they are tares among the wheat.
Peter also wrote of those who sneaked into the church. He called these “false prophets.”
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
—2 Peter 2:1
Privily = secret; admitted as one sharing in a secret <privy to the conspiracy>.
The false brethren will pretend to be brethren. They usually come in with smiles and agreement–at first. But their fruits can only be concealed for so long.
In 2 Thessalonians 2 and 1 Timothy 4, Paul mentions the ones who will fall away, who will depart from the faith “in the latter times.” These are the false brethren. Jesus said these false ones will deliver true believers up to be killed.
But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
—Mark 13:9
These refer to ecclesiastical proceedings against the saints; i.e., in the church or synagogue; i.e., false brethren.
So how is a believer to discern false brethren?
Jesus told us in Matthew 7:16.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Does someone exhibit fruit contrary to the Spirit? Paul told us what fruit the Spirit brings forth.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
—Galatians 5:22-23
There are many false brethren in the American churches.
Beware the perils of the false brethren!
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by Jeremiah J. Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
image: ETPR
© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-14. © Mondo Frazier, DBKP and End Times Prophecy Report, 2007-14. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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