ALL IN THE FAMILY

ALL IN THE FAMILY

The church is the family of God. In the King James Verison it is rendered "house of God which is the church of the living God" (I Timothy 3:15) This family is unique in that it is made up of many families who are molded together into a congregation of the church. The ties that bind us are many which we will notice in this article.

1. We all have the same father. We speak of the Heavenly Father. We have given ourselves to God. There is "One God and Father of all who is above all, through all and in you all." (Ephesians 4:6) "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son in your hearts, crying, Abba Father." (Galatians 4:6) "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God and doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is." (I John 3:1, 2)We have many earthly fathers in that we are made up of many physical families. Some of us are rich and some are poor. Some are black and some are white. Some are extremely talented and some are not so talented, but we have one common Father and we pray, "Our Father who are in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name." (Matthew 6:9) "What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms."

2. We all wear the same name. Not physically but spiritually. "And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." (Acts 11:26) We cannot say "Christian" without saying the name of Christ. In fact, a Christian is one who belongs to Christ and walks in Him. James said, "Do they not blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called." (James 2:7) Many people make light of the name Christians and use it wrongly. This is not a Christian nation nor are all who call themselves Christians really Christians. A true Christian is a disciple (meaning learner) of Christ. (Acts 11:26) Christians, like Paul, persuade others to be Christians. (Acts 26:28, 29) If Christians suffer reproach they glorify God in this name. (I Peter 4:16)

3. We all have obeyed the same gospel. There is only one faith. (Ephesians 4:5) That faith comes by hearing the word of God. (Romans 10:17) Everyone who is a Christian has heard the word and believed it. They have repented of sinful conduct so prevalent in their lives. They have confessed faith in Christ and been baptized into Christ and so have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:26, 27)

4. We are all worshiping in spirit and in truth. The Father seeks such to worship Him. (John 4:23) We all sing praises to God together as well as other songs that teach and admonish one another. We all lift up our hearts to God in prayer as one of our brothers lead us. We all profit from the teaching we receive from the word of God. We all remember Jesus’ death in the Lord’s Supper. We all enjoy fellowship with one another. Our lives would have something missing to not see and talk to one another.

5. We are all struggling to overcome trials in our lives. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye: for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoke of, but on your part he is glorified." (I Peter 4:12-14) People just cannot believe the sincerity if the person who has accepted Christ and turned their lives over to Him. They feel that if temptations and inducements are placed in front of that person he is surely to fall. They are looking for weakness and flaws in his life to say, "I told you so. He’s not really sincere." When this happens God says, "happy are ye: for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you." Sometimes it’s the death of a companion or loved one that brings trials upon us. We have the tendency to think we could have done something more to keep this from happening. Death is so final. There is nothing further that can be done for that individual. The void in our lives just has to be overcome. We can overcome it like Paul who said, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13) Christ provides us with Christian brethren who are our friends and mentors in time of trials. We can lean on one another as we lean on God Almighty.
Sometimes it is a weakness or sinful desire or the flesh that tries us. The way to overcome this is to seek out a Christian friend who is also struggling and get that one to pray for you and you pray for him also. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye may be able to bear it." (I Corinthians 10:13) This is a scripture of promise and God keeps his promises.

6. We are all striving for the same heaven. How will we ever get there if we cannot get along with one another down here. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment we have from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."( I John 4:20, 21) "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way." (Romans 14:13)

7. We must learn to love one another in spite of weakness and infirmities. Peter was often impetuous but the Lord could see him as a rock. He said, "Thou art Simon the son of Jona; thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a stone." (John 1:42) James and John were called "Sons of Thunder" for some strange reason. They wanted positions on the right and left of Jesus in the Kingdom. (Matthew 20:20-28) John 13:1, 2 says he loved his own unto the end. We must have the same love for one another in spite of the ways of some of us.

We are all in the family.

C.D.