False Brethren

Sermon Notes by Pastor Mark Downey

Reading the first part of Matthew 24, we read about a type of individual who is offended: "And then many shall be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another" (Mt. 24:10); much like Matthew 13:20-21, "But he that received into the stony places, the same is he that heareth the word and at once with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for awhile, for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. Matthew 24:9 suggests that there will be informants who will betray their kinsmen: "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted." It is reminiscent of Joseph being sold into bondage by his brothers. Some will consider themselves prophets or teachers, but verse 11 says they will be false prophets. When the laws of God take second place to man's laws, then brotherly love will grow cold (verse 12), evidenced by a failure to communicate and being unpersuaded by truth.

Paul understood his brethren were racial according to Romans 9:3 "My brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." This was true in government as Deut. 17:15 tells us "one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee, thou may not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother".

Why do we need to understand what a 'false brethren' is? Well, I Cor 1:10 defines our Christian and racial unity to speak the same things and have the same mind. Paul mentions his perils among false brethren in II Cor. 11:26 and in Gal. 2:4 that says "and that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily (by stealth) to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage". It doesn't say whether or not it was intentional.

The big controversy back in the 1st century between Israelites in Jerusalem and Israelites elsewhere was about circumcision. After reading Galations 2:15-18, we learn about justification. This is when Christ gives us a brand new start in life where He gives us His righteousness and we find the assurance of it through faith. We're no longer accused and condemned in our sins according to Romans 8:1. The confusion about law is quickly nailed to the Cross when we realize those things Christ came to replace.

So who are the false brethren? It would be those in Matthew 24:5, coming in the name of Christ, or exploiting His authority saying they are Christians, or more arrogantly, that they are the anointed and causing many to be deceived and to err. The Pharisees were false brethren, much like the Zionists today who are not all jews, but race traitors like the establishment universalists. A brother or sister is a blood sibling, having a common parent. As Christians, we are brothers by having a bond of righteousness in common. A false brethren cannot be a part of that unity.

Does God love the false brethren? Proverbs 6:19 says God hates "a false witness that speaks lies and sows discord among his brothers." The brethren are commanded in II Thes. 3:6 to withdraw themselves from every brother who walks disorderly. This may be hard to do, weighing things in the balance, as we read II Thes. 3:13-15 AST: "And you, brothers do not become despondent in well doing. And if any do not obey our word by way of this letter, mark that one and do not associate with him, that he be shamed; but do not count him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother." That's why we have the due process of Matthew 18:5. If a brother commits a trespass, tell him his fault. If he doesn't listen, then bring it to the attention of 2 more brothers, and if that fails, bring it to the church. If he fails to be rebuked and refuses to repent, then he is cast out as a heathen. A heathen is a racial alien or one that acts like one, and therefore is not thy brethren. If he continues to pass himself off as a Christian while promoting error, he is a false brethren.

On the other hand, "Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling" understand the partnership we have with Christ, separating ourselves from evil. "Harden not your hearts" as your ancestors in the wilderness tested God (Hebrews 3:8). That generation erred, not knowing the ways of God. "Take heed, brethren, lest there be any of you with an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God" (Hebrews 3:12). Their tempting fate should be our example, even today; when instruction and righteousness and correction are taken in unbelief. It was hard for them to believe Paul's teaching about circumcision, as it is today about race and pagan influence upon Christian doctrines.

Are we supposed to love false brethren? "Should you help the ungodly and love them who hate the LORD? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD" (II Chron. 19:2). Obviously false brethren are not brethren. What communion hath light with darkness? I John 2:9 says, "He that saith he is in the light, yet hates (or is in opposition to) his brother, is in darkness." Verse 11 continues the thought by saying he doesn't know where he's going, because the dark has blinded his eyes. "If any man says I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar" (I John 4:20). For loving your brother whom you can see is not able to love God, whom you can't see. I Peter 2:17 says "Honor all men, love the brotherhood, fear God and honor the king." To clarify this verse, it means all righteous men, as we don't honor the unrighteous. We don't love false brethren. We don't fear false gods. We don't obey, but one kind of ruler, and that is the one that is not a terror to good works, but to evil.

Finally, we should be aware of false brethren by judging those who put a stumbling block to cause a brother to fall as stated in Romans 14:13. How does man fall to sin when he is tempted by his own lust (James 1:14)? We are drawn away from godliness by following after someone who is not your brethren. The Bible warns us about keeping company with liars, deceivers, false prophets, pharisees, wizards, murmerers, profaners, idolaters, human demons, devils, satans, priests of Baal AND false brethren that would have anything to do with the aforementioned.

"Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" Brethren here implies inclusion of both genders, men and women believing and being blessed as a body of our Lord and Savior.