BELOVED BROTHER

This incident was narrated by Dr. D. John, gifted evangelist from Kollam, South India. There were two twins, identical in appearance who grew up in the same house but developed contrasting characters. One of them was very pious, honest and loving. He was kind and considerate to his brother. But his brother became a cruel and cunning criminal. Their parents gave them equal share of their ancestral assets. They stayed together even after their parents died.

One day, the criminal and his gang attacked a group of people, killing four of them and wounding many. The police and a huge crowd chased the criminals. They ran in different directions. The brother of the kind man ran to his house and fell at the feet of his loving brother and prayed to save his life. The police men were fast following him. The loving brother gave his clothes to his cruel brother and put on the blood-stained clothes of his brother. The police arrested the innocent brother and he was produced before the court of law. He did not try to prove his innocence. He was moved to the jail and later sentenced to death. The death of his innocent brother for saving his life touched the hard-hearted brother. He was transformed.

Jesus died on the Cross to save each of us. He washed away the sins of man by the innocent blood He shed on the Cross.

St. Peter teaches, “You know what was paid to set you free from the worthless manner of life handed down by your ancestors. It was not something that can be destroyed, such as silver or gold; it was the costly sacrifice of Christ, who was like a lamb without defect or flaw” {1 Peter 1:18, 19}.

St. Paul teaches, “Everyone has sinned and is far away from God’s saving presence. But by the free gift of God’s grace all are put right with Him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free. God offered Him, so that by His sacrificial death He should become the means by which people’s sins are forgiven through their faith in Him” {Romans 3: 23-25}.

“Let us praise God for His glorious grace, for the free gift He gave us in His dear Son! For by the sacrificial death of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God, which He gave to us in such large measure!” {Ephesians 1: 6-8}.

“Christ Himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven, and not our sins only, but also the sins of everyone” {1 John 2: 2}.

© By Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India.

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PRAISE GOD
BLESSED BE THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD