The way brethren have treated each other over the years has left a lot to be desired.  I am not referring to normal behavior in local churches.  While we can always improve relationships in Christ, for the most part, brethren treat each other with love and respect under normal circumstances in local churches and generally rise to the occasion when a member is in need.  What I am speaking of now is when circumstances are not normal.  When some kind of disagreement arises or someone is offended by a brother or sister, then things can get out of hand, leading brethren to mistreat one another.

How do you treat brethren, especially when you are not seeing eye to eye with them on some matter?  Paul knew, as well as anyone, how even brethren can turn on each other and become downright cruel.  There were many false brethren in the church who turned on him, spreading lies and speaking evil against him.  He warned the churches of Galatia about this kind of behavior.

Galatians 5:15 (ESV)
¹⁵  But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

The terms biting and devouring “are images drawn from carnivorous animals furiously fighting with each other” (Pulpit Commentary).  Can you imagine brethren treating each other like wild animals in a fight?  There were some in the churches of Galatia who did that, and they were not the last local churches that had members acting in such a way.  Today, brethren still fight viciously against each other at times.

When does such behavior occur in the body of Christ?  It can occur when brethren allow the devil to fill their hearts with hate due to jealousy and selfish ambition.  Listen to what James says about this.

James 3:14-16 (ESV)
¹⁴  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. ¹⁵  This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

These devilish dispositions bring out the worse in brethren and can turn local churches into houses of hostility instead of houses of God.  The solution is to guard our hearts against such emotions by filling them with love for each other.  This was the solution that Paul gave to the churches of Galatia.

Galatians 5:13-14 (ESV)
¹³  For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴  For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:10).  When disagreements and offensives arise in local churches, they must be dealt with swiftly and with love.  Let’s never harbor hate or allow ourselves to become bearers of bitterness.  If we do, it can lead us to fight against each other like wild animals, bringing reproach upon the name of the Lord, and shame to the local church.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things