Is Jesus Christ our brother?

[evangelist6589]

Erwin Lutzer and his book Your Eternal Reward has made a case in chapter 2 that Christ is our brother. Personally I think he needs a better editor, or needs to reword his sentences because such a statement sounds borderline heresy. Christ is our God that we worship, and not our brother. What do you say?

 

[glfredrick]

Erwin Lutzer and his book Your Eternal Reward has made a case in chapter 2 that Christ is our brother. Personally I think he needs a better editor, or needs to reword his sentences because such a statement sounds borderline heresy. Christ is our God that we worship, and not our brother. What do you say?

Christ said that we are His brothers.



Matthew 12:48-50 ESV
But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Romans 8:15-17 ESV
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

If we are God's adopted sons, and joint heirs with Jesus, then we are indeed "brothers". But as well, you are correct that Christ is our LORD and our GOD! How awesome and amazing is it that we are both surrendered to our Lord and God and yet ADOPTED as family and given the right to be joint heirs for all eternity. We cannot even fathom such amazing grace!

 

[Mark_13]

To make it more explicit

(Rom 8:29 NKJV) For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Of course, Lutzer could have gone off on a tangent, asking the readers to reflect on their relationship with their own brother or what not. Anything emphasized too much crosses over into error obviously.

 

[evangelist6589]

To make it more explicit

(Rom 8:29 NKJV) For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Of course, Lutzer could have gone off on a tangent, asking the readers to reflect on their relationship with their own brother or what not. Anything emphasized too much crosses over into error obviously.

He did go on a tangent. His books are not all that widely read so this error has remained in that book for 14 years. If he were a widely read author like a John MacArthur, Charles Stanley, or a David Jeremiah, they may have edited that chapter and re-released the book.

 

[Mark_13]

It all comes down to what he actually said - the statement "The Bible says that Christ and us are brothers" is not an error. You should quote the most objectionable passage of his.

The Bible also calls the Church the Bride of Christ, but also his brothers. So, let's see what he makes of that.

I don't read Christian best-sellers. My thinking is, "Can it really be better than the Bible?" Is this guy and his cadillac and his best-selling book going to clear something up for me that the Bible on its own couldn't.

 

[Greektim]

He did go on a tangent. His books are not all that widely read so this error has remained in that book for 14 years. If he were a widely read author like a John MacArthur, Charles Stanley, or a David Jeremiah, they may have edited that chapter and re-released the book.

But is it really an error to call Jesus our brother??? If we have the same Father, doesn't that even imply brotherhood???

Heb. 2:11 is pretty clear: "For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,"

The "he" in the context is Jesus.

 

[plain_n_simple]

After we are born again, we're called sons and daughters, so yeah we are brothers and sisters like you all said, and we are the bride.

 

[glfredrick]

One caveat... One "could" call us a brother of Jesus in purely human terms, and of coure, that would be "too literal" an interpretation. We are not flesh and blood, genetically-related brothers. We are "adopted" brothers by way of the fact that Our Father has secured our adoption to His family.

 

[mandym]

His books are not all that widely read so this error has remained in that book for 14 years.

A very foolish post and you have no idea what you are talking about. And Lutzer is right according to scripture:

Mat 12:48 But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"
Mat 12:49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!
Mat 12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

Joh_20:17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

 

[webdog]

Christ said that we are His brothers.



Matthew 12:48-50 ESV
But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Romans 8:15-17 ESV
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

If we are God's adopted sons, and joint heirs with Jesus, then we are indeed "brothers". But as well, you are correct that Christ is our LORD and our GOD! How awesome and amazing is it that we are both surrendered to our Lord and God and yet ADOPTED as family and given the right to be joint heirs for all eternity. We cannot even fathom such amazing grace!

I will give credit where credit is due...complete agreement :thumbs:

 

[webdog]

He did go on a tangent. His books are not all that widely read so this error has remained in that book for 14 years. If he were a widely read author like a John MacArthur, Charles Stanley, or a David Jeremiah, they may have edited that chapter and re-released the book.

You have been shown it is not an error, but biblical truth. Just accept the truth, adjust your views, and move on.

 

[Amy.G]

I just happened to run across this quote today.

Have you been getting cold in heart? Still, Christ is your Brother, and he owns it. As
I have reminded you, the Master did not call his disciples “brethren” till after they
had all forsaken him. What! does his grace seem to grow as our sin grows? It seems
so: “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. (C.H. Spurgeon)

I guess Charles was a heretic too. :laugh:

 

[evangelist6589]

A very foolish post and you have no idea what you are talking about. And Lutzer is right according to scripture:

Thanks allot for those encouraging words.

 

[evangelist6589]

You have been shown it is not an error, but biblical truth. Just accept the truth, adjust your views, and move on.

Technically it is not a error. However people differ on interpretations and I would think that it would be better to call Christ our God and savior, rather than our brother. No other preacher that I have read or heard has ever referred to Jesus as our brother. So while technically it is not wrong to call Christ our brother, you need to understand interpretations and how people differ on them. Christ is better referred to my God, and my savior.

 

[Greektim]

Thanks allot for those encouraging words.

Most of the encouragement has been for you to admit that you were wrong and falsely accusing someone of doctrinal error where there was no error... something we all have a difficult time doing.

I wonder, would you prefer to call Jesus "father"???

 

[convicted1]

I will give credit where credit is due...complete agreement :thumbs:

And, I'll second it!! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[convicted1]

Technically it is not a error. However people differ on interpretations and I would think that it would be better to call Christ our God and savior, rather than our brother. No other preacher that I have read or heard has ever referred to Jesus as our brother. So while technically it is not wrong to call Christ our brother, you need to understand interpretations and how people differ on them. Christ is better referred to my God, and my savior.

Remember this. Christ is much more than just our God, Lord, and Saviour.

He is our advocate to the Father, that when we sin, He pleads our case to our Father.

He is our intercessor that we pray through to the Father.

He is our Big Brother that protects us when that bully, satan, picks on us.

Jesus is much more than any of us could even begin to comprehend.

 

[evangelist6589]

Most of the encouragement has been for you to admit that you were wrong and falsely accusing someone of doctrinal error where there was no error... something we all have a difficult time doing.

I wonder, would you prefer to call Jesus "father"???

Actually I love Dr. Lutzers books and sermons. I dont know where you are getting this agenda that I have, because its not true. As I said technically its not incorrect, but people vary on interpretation and Christ is more referred to as our God, our Lord, our savior, our redeemer, etc..

If I am so wrong, can you explain why I rarely hear from any preacher Christ being referred to as our brother?

 

[glfredrick]

Actually I love Dr. Lutzers books and sermons. I dont know where you are getting this agenda that I have, because its not true. As I said technically its not incorrect, but people vary on interpretation and Christ is more referred to as our God, our Lord, our savior, our redeemer, etc..

If I am so wrong, can you explain why I rarely hear from any preacher Christ being referred to as our brother?

You are hammering away at something that is not a problem.

No one is saying -- AT ALL -- that Christ is not our Savior, Lord, Creator, Messiah, Annointed One, King of all kings, Lord of all lords, Redeemer, Prophet, Priest, or any of the other magnificent names and titles of our Only Hope.

But He IS also our brother -- so says God!

 

[convicted1]

You are hammering away at something that is not a problem.

No one is saying -- AT ALL -- that Christ is not our Savior, Lord, Creator, Messiah, Annointed One, King of all kings, Lord of all lords, Redeemer, Prophet, Priest, or any of the other magnificent names and titles of our Only Hope.

But He IS also our brother -- so says God!

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs: