In the Book of Genesis we find Adam and Eve’s two sons, Cain and Abel, bringing their respective offerings to the Lord. We are not told how many times they had brought offerings to Him previously, or  how many times they had obeyed His commands to do other things. We can assume that before this incident they had both obeyed the Lord without fail, otherwise He would have instructed Moses to record the incident, along with His reaction to it.

As the episode unfolds we find that Cain, his anger hot from having been chastised by the Lord, has taken out his wrath on his innocent brother who had pleased God (which is still the modus operandi of those who defy Him). Upon encountering Cain, the Lord asked him as to his brother’s whereabouts. Cain lied, telling Him that he did not know. Cain then asked his Maker a question: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” That question is among the most important queries recorded in the Holy Scriptures. The answer to the question is “Yes, we are all our brothers’ keepers in the spiritual sense.” My commission from God to be my brothers’ keeper is the purpose for this ministry and the reason He gave me this website. It is also the commission he issues to every true believer. As every posting on this website reveals, the commission does not apply to those in the Institutional Church (Catholicism/ Protestantism). The reason will become obvious as we proceed.

No matter who or what we are, someone is always watching and listening, unconsciously taking notes relative to what we say and do, which reveals who and what we are. Our thoughts constitute a major part of this pattern in that everything we say and do begins in the mind/heart. It is extremely important that both God’s people and those who claim to be His people understand the principle of brethren-keeping.

Whether intentional or unintentional, what we believe, say and do sends a message to those who know us telling them exactly who and what we are. And in that we conduct ourselves in the manner we deem to be best, we are silently advising others to follow our example by patterning their life-style after ours. This phenomenon is extremely important in the spiritual realm in that eternity is involved.

It is for this reason that I write, speak and live what God puts forth in His Word. In so doing I am putting forth God’s Way to those who read and hear me, proclaiming that His Way is right and should be followed. Occasionally someone will hear or read me and turn to God. Though a true conversion is extremely rare, it is enough to give me the will to continue. Those rare conversions are my only rewards. I ask for nothing and receive nothing. In so doing I emulate the ministries of the prophets and apostles of the Biblical record who received nothing from those to whom they ministered except their gratitude and their tithes.

Now let us look at the Institutional Church (Catholicism/Protestantism). Intentional or not, like it or not, each one who calls himself a child of the Lord is his brothers’ keeper. Therefore, the example set by false Christians is just as important as the example set by a child of the Lord, only in a negative way. When a professing Christian continues to stay in “the church,” believing, practicing and bearing witness to that organization’s doctrines and customs, the parishioner is sending a silent message to those who know him. He is telling them that his way is the right way, and that they should follow his example. In this way he is leading people away from the Lord and to Satan, the director of that organization’s way. Whether for good or ill, we are all our brothers’ keepers. If one is repeatedly seen going into a drug dealer’s house, it does not matter what he does while inside, it is assumed that he is doing drugs. And if he bears witness to the product sold in that house, his message becomes even more influential.

The same principle holds true for the church member. When he is seen defying God every Saturday by working, buying or selling, then is seen obeying Satan every Sunday by going to church, the message is loud and clear–God is wrong and Satan is right. When the parishioner witnesses to others that the heathen doctrines and customs believed and practiced in the church are right, the message is even louder and clearer. By continuing to pay homage to Satan and his way, the parishioner is leading others through the wide gate and along the broad way that lead to death (Mat. 7:13,14). God promises to send woe on the one who leads seekers astray, saying that it would have been better if he had been drowned in the sea (Mk. 9:42).

In summary, the question is not “Am I my brother’s keeper.” The question is “For whom am I keeping my brother?” The answer is either God or Satan. L.J.