Am I my brother's keeper?
When Cain killed his brother Abel, he set into motion not only a judgment from God, but God also set into motion a moral principle. When Cain was asked where his dead brother was (as if God didn't know.), he defiantly asked, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Though God didn't respond to the question in a way which was written, the answer has been shouted out for generations… "Yes, Cain, you are your brother's keeper." We have a moral obligation to our family at home, and our family of God. We should be "Brother Keepers."
How do we help brothers and sisters who wrestle with obvious sin? Are we obligated to confront, talk, or even mention what we see? Or is that being judgmental?
Our faith is under attack with this very issue. It has always been under attack, but this is the battle of our generation, it would seem. This generation continues to lose its way in the moral relativism of post-modern thought. How often do we hear, "You can't judge me!"
This generation wants to call us "judgmental" as if we are supposed to continue to see the leaders of Christ's Church become more and more disarmed by the swan song of a generation which avoids personal responsibility. "You can't judge me!" It is like calling someone a racist because he criticizes a public official who is not of your own race. Has our world come to the point that we don't understand the difference between BEING judgmental, and being able to recognize the morality of the Bible? Do we have to hold our nose and in the name of peace and love, submit to mishandled scripture such as John 8:10, 11.
In this somewhat questionable scripture (not found in the earliest manuscripts), there is a wonderful moral lesson being taught. The woman is caught in adultery. No one denies it. Not even the woman! Indeed the law does condemn adultery and calls for a stoning. Praise be this unfortunate woman's passion happened to be in Jerusalem while Jesus was in His Passion week.
Moral relativists are quick to quote, "Woman…Has no-one condemned you? 'No-one, sir, she said. 'Then neither do I condemn you." This leaving us with the proper impression that Jesus is the Ultimate Judge. Secondly, that since no one has the ability to claim Ultimate Sinless Higher ground, we can't claim God's place. However, they leave out the last part. "Go now and leave your life of sin." Jesus called what she had done, what it was…sin! Is Jesus the only one who can recognize sin? Do we have to have Ultimate High Ground to be able to recognize sin in ourselves or in others? Of course not. The burr under the saddle seems to be, what do we do with that ability to recognize sin, when we see it in others? Am I my brother's keeper?
If God doesn't give us the right to recognize sin, why does He spend so much time describing sin and the morality of the Bible? Is it just for personal introspection? Yes, personal introspection, but also to do that which we are obligated to do…brother keeping! Paul wrote, "… Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." (Ro 7:7) Aren't we obligated as brother keepers, to point toward the Word of God so that it might help our brother recognize their struggle? Isn't that "judging" our brother the right way?
Clearly, it is judging sin in our brother. This is not semantical gymnastics. We all separate sin from the person. We can love sinners and hate the sin. In fact we should be happy when a brother takes us to the side, like Jesus directs in Matthew 18, and express to us the sin, we may not know, or know and just need an opportunity to "confess your sins to one another." (James 5:16)
But, the mere fact that our brother or sister says, "You can't judge me." is pure evidence that they do know the sin…so they are without excuse. Are we then obligated to leave it alone? Would you? If you believe a person can lose salvation or cause others to lose salvation, you cannot honestly say you would feel comfortable with a precious brother losing his salvation because you sat back and said nothing.
Even if you embrace eternal security, can you honestly say, in the name of not judging my brother, I'll keep my mouth shut and allow my brother to crucify Jesus all over again? (Hebrews 6:6)
There is a big difference between being able to have shrewd or perceptive judgment, and being the One who condemns! Being able to judge that which is sin, is part of keeping brothers. If a brother became not just interested in Islam, but began to move toward Islam, would you say nothing? Would you remain silent because you fear hearing the words, "You can't judge me?"
"Oh right, sorry God. I can't judge him, so I have to say nothing while he begins to worship a false god and follow a false prophet." It just doesn't make sense. We are our brother's keeper.
James 5:19 says, "..if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back…" Wait a minute, James. Bring him back? Bring him back? You can't bring him back because you would have to judge that he has fallen away! We can't judge anyone! We can't say anything to them, after all Jesus said, "…neither do I condemn you." That's what I'm talking about!!! There is a difference between being the Ultimate Moral Judge, and recognizing something which might help a brother be "brought back" to the fold, or at the very least, break free from the grip that sin has on him/her.
Jesus was talking "condemnation." Bringing a brother back, is not condemning him, it is saving him! How confused and distorted can we make scripture? We are obligated to recognize when a brother or sister is falling away. We are obligated to speak to them. We are obligated to point toward Jesus, the Bible, and the destruction which sin has on a person. The destruction being major or minor, here on earth, but permanently major before Jesus' judgment seat.
So, a call is being made to brothers and sisters to help one another. Confess our sins to one another. Confront sin as it is, before it destroys. And above all, do not be disarmed when your brother or sister says to you, "You can't judge me." Yes you can. God gave you His Word to have this type of discretion…to keep your brother.