FRIDAY September 19, 2025

Unashamed to Call Us Brethren

For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
Hebrews 2:11-13

Jesus became our sanctifier. What does that mean? The word sanctifies means we, as Christians, are “set apart,” “consecrated” or “holy.” This miraculous work of God causes us to become one with Him. Do you remember what Jesus prayed for in John 17? He asked the Father to sanctify us, that we may be one in Us––the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit:

John 17:17-19: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”
John 17:20-21: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

We are one with the Triune God. Therefore, Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren. We have become a part of the family of God. This is so important to know, as many Christians have become ostracized from their blood relatives because of their faith. They are turned out of their homes or disowned, and their families are ashamed of them. But Christ, through His cleansing blood, has sanctified them, and He is not ashamed to call them brethren. In fact, He calls them His friends:

“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:14-15).

Who are you friends with? Make sure to have Jesus in your friend group!

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
~Joseph M. Scriven~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!