Articles
Meet The Family
Some of the most common questions people ask one another when meeting for the first time has to do with family: “Do you have any brothers or sisters? How many? Are you the oldest? [And as you get older…] Are they all still alive?” The questions and their answers help individuals to get to know one another better, and usually help to find some common ground upon which further conversations may begin.
So, let me tell you about my family! [Glad you asked!]
My Brothers and Sisters. I have brothers and sisters, yes, but I don’t really know how many I have. Besides, it is likely the day I tell you how many there are, there would be others added to my family because the numbers are always changing. The very first day this family came into existence, more than 5,000 brothers and sisters were added to it! [See Acts 2:37-41; 4:4.] You see, the family of whom I speak is my spiritual family, and I have brothers and sisters around the world and of all ages, and more become a part of my family every day somewhere.
The great part about this is, whenever I travel, it is likely I will get to meet more of my family — most of whom I have never met before, but we all have something in common right away: We are a part of the same spiritual family! I’ve invited complete strangers into my home because they were family; I’ve had many people invite me into their homes and they didn’t know anything about me except that I was a part of the same spiritual family. I also hear stories about some of my family in places around the world, and though we have never met [and maybe never will this side of eternity], I pray for them and I am sure they do the same for me simply because we are of the same family and we genuinely care for one another. I grieve when I hear stories of some of my family being persecuted or troubled, and I rejoice when they have reasons to rejoice, too! That’s what family does!
We Are All Adopted. No one is naturally-born into this family; we are all adopted into it. Paul reminds us that God had a plan in place long before we even existed wherein He decided and chose “us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself” (Eph. 1:5). Though the Jews were God’s people under the Old Law, when the time was established and the day came, “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Gal. 4:5). Though some Jews thought they were a part of God’s family already [i.e., by virtue of being born a Jew], the truth was, they needed to submit to Christ, too, if they were to be a part of this family of believers. When Jesus told one Jew he had to be “born again” (John 3:3), he was a little confused when he heard it (John 3:4), but Jesus explained that this new birth was where a man believes in Jesus as the Christ (John 3:16) and is “born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5). The very first time the gospel was preached, Peter told his audience [who were all Jews] that they needed to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:37, 38), and those who did so were added to this family (Acts 2:41, 47). Don’t skip over the fact this is the ‘adoption’ process established by God! Some men today may tell you there is nothing to do, but God said differently. If you wish to be a part of this family, you must respect the process established by the one who is willing to adopt us into His family.
The great thing about this family is, it doesn’t matter your nationality, for God is willing to adopt anyone into this family who desires to be, and who is willing to fully submit to His will for the rest of his or her life. Once in Christ and a part of the family, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for [we] are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).
I Don’t Even Know All My Brothers and Sisters! I know it sounds a little strange, but many of my brothers and sisters I have never met, and will not meet them until this earthly life is over. I am able to read stories about some of my brothers and sisters, though; I can pick up my Bible and read of a brother who was willing to lay his life on the line to tell the religious leaders they were nothing but hypocrites and were no better than their forefathers who killed prophets for simply telling them the truth (Stephen, Acts 7). I am able to read of a brother who dedicated his life to serving the Lord and preaching the gospel, traveling far and wide (Rom. 15:19) and suffering great hardships (2 Cor. 11:23-33) just so others could hear about God’s plan for salvation and possibly add more brothers and sisters to our great family. I also read about a sister who was known for her faithfulness in prayer and who opened up her home to a stranger, too — one who led her to become a part of this family (Lydia, Acts 16). There are many thousands more of whom I know little or nothing, but I know they have served the Lord well and I am happy to call them a part of my family.
You Can Be A Part of This Family, Too! If you didn’t already know, you can be a part of this great family where you will be blessed to find spiritual brothers and sisters around the world, and who will welcome you into their homes and lives based on nothing but your common faith in the Lord. You can be a part of God’s family, too, and be the recipient of His promised blessings (1 John 2:25), and know there is “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:4). You can be a part of the family with God as our Father, knowing He knows your every need (Matt. 6:8) and will never leave you alone (Heb. 13:5). This is a family where “the members...have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:25, 26). No, we are not perfect but, really, there is no better family of which you could be a part than this! Our knowledge of our imperfections helps motivate us and help us to encourage one another to always do better, and to look out for one another. I have a great family!
One day we will all meet together as a united family, and we will quite a story to tell: How we were all saved from our sins by our great Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
The apostle John said it best: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1) —— Steven Harper
