Gain Your Brother

In my shepherding of new ones I have been doing my best and yet I expect some result out of the labor and price I paid for. When my expectation of result is not forthcoming, then I kind-of get discouraged and started to filter them out one by one so as not to waste my time and energy. I have had this attitude recently as I felt I have labored enough and waited for a considerable number of years. At this juncture, the Lord came to rescue me through a brother's speaking. I should never give up on anyone and do my best to gain my brothers, including the new ones, the backsliding ones, and the black sheep.

In studying the characteristics of the kingdom life, to gain the people is crucial. In the kingdom living, I must gain my brothers. I should not let go of anyone so easily, come what may. The gospel of Mathew chapter 18 opened my eyes and I could see a very important lesson in this regard.

15 Moreover if your brother sins against you, go, reprove him between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

Go: First, I must go to visit a brother should he sin against me, much less offend me. I must care for my brother and reprove him in person.

Alone: If he indeed sins against me, the mater should just be between him and me. I must love and cover him up of all his mistakes, and I should in no way leaked the matter to any third person. Love covers all. This is a proper way of dealing with problems, especially with a sinning brother.

Gain: In this way, I must gain him by all means. All the shepherding is for the gaining of a brother.

16 But if he does not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 19 Again, truly I say to you that if two of you are in harmony on earth concerning any matter for which they ask, it will be done for them from My Father who is in the heavens. 20 For where there are two or three gathered into My name, there am I in their midst.

Two or Three: If I could not succeed in gaining him by myself, I must take the way of the vital group in the principle of two or three. Hopefully, by this, he could be gained. Even otherwise, I still should not give up. Rather with my fellow vital group members, I must intercede for his recovery. Even pray a binding and losing prayer to release my brother from the bondage of the enemy.

17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to hear the church also, let him be to you just like the Gentile and the tax collector. 18 Truly I say to you, Whatever you bind on the earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

Tell him to the Church: Even if the two or three brothers' visitations to shepherd him does not work, I must bring the matter to the church that the whole church can intercede for him. I cannot afford to lose a brother and let the enemy has his food. By all means, a brother must be gained for the kingdom life, for the Body of Christ.

21 Then Peter came and said to Him, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? 22 Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, Up to seven times, but, Up to seventy times seven.

Forgive and forgive: No matter how many times a brother might have offended me, no matter how bad he may be, I must simply forgive and forgive. The reason is simple: to gain a brother.

The Lord's speaking in the way to gain a brother has totally blown my mind. It completely changed my concept and renewed my mind. I regret not knowing this truth before. I never understood Matthew chapter 18 in this light. I always read this chapter in expounding the truth about a local church doctrinally without caring for the brothers who constitute the local church.

This is the goal of a vital group, to gain a brother. This is also the kingdom life, to gain a brother. This is also the way to live an overcoming life by practicing the church-life, to gain a brother. 

Lord, gain me to gain my brother!