“So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul . . .” Acts 9:17a
One of the greatest privileges I have ever had is being a brother in the church of Jesus Christ. This experience goes beyond description. First, the fact that I am a brother of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
“Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'” John 20:17
If you are born from above, then you are a sister or brother of Jesus Christ. This is tremendous news! Wow, what an awesome realization. To hear and see and know that you are a part of God’s family. This is one of the greatest aspects of our inheritance in Christ.
And yet, many have not known or experienced this wonder of wonders. Even though the New Testament uses the words brother, sister, brethren, etc. over 350 times! Yet, we have generally missed this glorious fact and experience. Do we know what it means to be a sister or brother in the body of Christ? This is not mere religious language, titles or labels. This is the language of the New Testament! Could it be that we have grossly missed something here?
My Own Experience
I had been a believer for 27 years before I understood and experienced authentic brotherhood. I had been involved with many churches and many different aspects of religious ministry. I taught the bible. I led youth ministries. I led worship services. I was a deacon and an elder. I was a pastor (for a few years). I led home fellowship groups. I did many kinds of evangelistic work. On and on the list goes, but the point is that in those 27 years I never experienced true brotherhood! I never knew what it meant to be a “brother”.
I had been involved in many men’s groups, men’s meetings, and attended a few men’s conferences. But I have to honestly tell you that looking back on all of that, I wouldn’t give you two cents for any of it! Now, after looking back at my experiences, and knowing what I now know, I think I can explain why that is.
The Key to Brotherhood and Sisterhood
You cannot have an experience of sisterhood or brotherhood until you have an authentic experience of the family of God!
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household” Ephesians 2:19
A household is a family, those who live in the house. Christ is our house and we are His house. We are all brothers and sisters because we have now been born from above from the same Father. We are not just men and women who live in the same house. We are family! This family is eternal. It goes way beyond any relationships we have in the natural.
As I tell people all the time; being men and women is just biology. Being brothers and sisters is relationship in Christ!
Knowing this in our heads and believing it as being theologically correct is one thing. Knowing and living the experience of it is quite another matter. If you have never known and experienced this great privilege as a child of God, I would encourage you to get involved with a group of believers who are sharing their lives together as Family.
Another Encouraging Blog Post on this Subject
There is another blog that I would definitely recommend regarding the “sister” aspect of God’s family. It’s well written by Heather Proctor whom I know personally. I’m sure you will be very encouraged by it, especially a recent post on being a sister:
Enjoy!
englishmo said:
I could not agree with this author’s views more, especially regarding the use of the word ‘sister”. Thanks for posting from a sister in Christ whom you have never met yet we are connected in Him! How awesome is this Truth!
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John Wilson said:
love this Milt! “You cannot have an experience of sisterhood or brotherhood until you have an authentic experience of the family of God!” amen, thanks brother for sharing.
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miltrodriguez said:
Thanks John!
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miltrodriguez said:
Englishmo, thanks for the encouragement. Did you read the blog from Heather?
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Jim Gregg said:
I was a Christ Follower for 10 years prior to understanding and becoming a brother in a community that looked at me as-a brother.
I must say a I do appreciate my past struggles in ministry, men’s groups, and events. It has made me appreciate more deeply what “brother” means now. I like many others have been & are being changed and rebuilt to function as called-brothers & sisters.
This freedom is overwhelming and articulated well in all of your posts. Thank you & your wife for being great examples of- brother & sister.
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Nathan Odell said:
Great blog post Milt! There is nothing like an authentic experience of the family of God. May we simply be brothers among brothers and sisters among sisters.
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Kenneth dawson said:
You are so right and yes I read heathers post and it was so good
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jimpuntney said:
thanks my dear brother, look forward to meeting you some day, and breaking some “Bread” with ya.
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Mark Burnett said:
SO TRUE! Reading about it and experiencing it are two completely different things! I am very grateful for the opportunity to experience this relationship and am overwhelmed by the love I had been missing in 45+ years experience in the institutional expression – it’s the difference between a grueling day at work and getting to spend all day with your family whom you love and they love you. Thanks for sharing this and your life with your family!
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miltrodriguez said:
Jim Puntney,
Looking forward to it as well, my brother!
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Derek said:
Hey Milt, what a great post brother!
What you say is true,… “Knowing this in our heads and believing it as being theologically correct is one thing. Knowing and living the experience of it is quite another matter”.
This became a living experience for me through our time together with both you and Mary in Australia. We came to “Know” you both not after the Flesh but after the Spirit, and this has made all the difference in “seeing” and “knowing” you both as my eternal brother and sister in Christ!
This has become our experience now with so many
other’s, seeing those who know Christ as family members, brothers and sisters In Christ!
Love you both
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clayfilledwithhislife said:
Thanks for sharing this brother! It really spoke the heart of God on His desire for Family, His Family in Christ! We are His family forever!
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Trevor Honeycutt said:
So true Milt.
Previous to my current church-life experience, I always said that guys are good at leading or following, but terrible at walking along side. Of course, that was just an expression of my heart’s desire to have some bros to walk with.
Thankful for the bros that I’m walking with!
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miltrodriguez said:
Amen Trevor! I used to say the same thing!
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Pamela said:
Excellent! Thank you for this. I’m a first time reader. Came here from a ‘like’ from Jamal Jivanjee. Will subscribe to your blog when I am off my iphone reader. 🙂
It is simple really, yet as you said, its rare to find any active revelation on this reality. So much distraction and warfare coming from flesh and blood! As Jesus said there’d be.
I don’t know if this resonates at this juncture here, that it seems easier to accept what it means to be a brother or sister, than it does a spiritual father or mother. Yet without the maturity of such is there the fullness of nurturing and reproduction, that the flesh and blood family is a picture of?
It is a practical reality that was pictured even in the brothers of Jesus…for they were “The children thou hast given me”.
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miltrodriguez said:
Pamela,
Welcome to the blog!
Yes, you are correct. Without spiritual mothers and fathers there is no family. That’s why Paul said to the Corinthians that they had many teachers but not many fathers. And he had become their father in Christ Jesus through the gospel (1 Cor. 4:15).
Thanks for the comment.
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miltrodriguez said:
Pamela,
Also, did you read the second part of this post?
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