"For neither did his brethren believe in him." In the 7th chapter of John, our Lord's "brethren" said unto him, "Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world." That little word "if" is so telling. There are those that are called brethren, that are brethren in the flesh and there are those that are brethren in the Lord.

In a peculiar way we can take some consolation in the fact that the home where our Lord grew as a child, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, was not one of "perfect peace". He, our High Priest knows the feeling of our infirmities. Our Lord dispelled any notion that He came to bring peace to the world when He said: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." Should a child of God love a family member in the flesh more than the Head of the body of the household of faith?

I have heard, and frankly believe to some extent, that some troubles plague the Old Baptists because some churches are constituted of one family in the flesh. It should make no difference whether or not the sinner next to you is a brother in the flesh. Once while our Lord yet talked to the people, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 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.

When we refuse to do the will of our heavenly Father then we cease to behave like the Lord's brethren. "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." The Old Baptist's are they which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. "God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." If the flesh takes precedence those will eventually be found in the congregation of the dead (Prov. 21:16). 4/9/2003 Elder Marty Hoogasian