Keeping our Brothers

“And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.”
― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

Two years ago, I went through a divorce. I felt so lonely. Going to church felt like I was walking around with a giant “D” hanging over my head and those who came in contact with me would catch the horrific disease of “divorce”. In perspective, that was further from the truth and there were many people, especially those in the household of faith, that helped me walk through that season.

Of those people, was a group of senior citizens, who sat behind me at church. They saw me in my loneliness and invited me to eat with them at Whataburger every Sunday. Through eating taquitos and honey butter chicken biscuits, they listened to me. They heard my story, felt compassion, and related to me through their own trials of divorce. They carried my burdens and prayed for me. I am grateful that they saw me as a brother instead of a strange young man with a failed marriage.

The First Murder

After the fall, Adam and Eve had two sons: Cain & Abel. Genesis 4 details how they both gave an offering to the Lord. Cain gave fruit from the ground and Abel gave the firstborn sheep. The Lord accepted Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s. Out of envy, Cain killed his brother. And just like when his parents sinned, God questioned Cain:

“Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”(Genesis 4:9, ESV).

Cain believed it was not his responsibility to care for his brother. Consequently, Cain was given a punishment that was too great to bear (v.13). He was cursed from the ground (v.11) and went away from the presence of the Lord, east of Eden (v.16). 

The Law of Christ

Many of us have fallen victimed to the same sin as Cain. How many times have we been envious of what others have or of their gifts to the Lord? We might not have killed someone, but we have murdered with hatefulness in our hearts (Matt. 5:21-22). Fortunately, we are not entitled to the same curse as Cain, for our savior became the curse for us (Gal. 3:13). We do not have to retreat from the presence of the Lord, because our Lord’s sacrifice brings us close to Him (Eph. 2:13).

Because our savior was perfect, we are now equipped to do good, especially those in the household of faith (Gal. 6:10). Christ has taken care of our needs, so now we should “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). We should help those in the church, until Christ comes and takes us to a place better than Eden. The best way to do that is to be committed to a body of believers and care for them, no matter how different they may be from you. As John Calvin wrote: 

“Whatever, therefore, a godly man is able to do, he should do it for his brothers. He should consider his own interests only insofar as he sets his mind on the general edification of the whole church” (A Little Book on the Christian Life, 37).

I am thankful for those inside the household of faith who have kept me as their brother. Being east of Eden is lonely, but my brothers and sisters in Christ have shown me a full life of belonging to the body.

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