It's a family affair

When we exit our mother's womb and are born, we become a member of a family - a mother, a father, maybe brothers and sisters, and grandparents.  These are our blood relatives because the DNA in their blood is in our blood as well.

When we repent of our sins and trust Jesus as our Savior, we are born again, but into a different family - the family of God.  The family of God consists of all those who are born again and have put their faith in God and Jesus Christ throughout the centuries.  Revelation 1:5(b) states: To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood." Ephesians 2:13 states: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." If you are a member of the family of God, you have been washed clean of your sins through the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed on the Cross. As your family's blood runs through your veins, the blood of Christ makes God's children a family.

In the family of God, everyone is a brother or a sister to the other members of the family of God and God is our Father. Throughout his epistles, Paul refers to other believers as brothers.  In Romans 16:1, Paul refers to Phoebe as a sister.  In 1 John 3:14(a). the apostle John refers to the family of believers as brethren, which is another word for family.  John states, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren."

If you're a born again, blood washed believer in Jesus Christ, not only are you a member of the worldwide family of God, but you should also be attending a local church with local members of the family of God. A local church will provide fellowship, learning opportunities, worship, and accountability. As Christians, we need the support and love of other Christians and indeed, we are told in Hebrews 10:24-25 the following:"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

So since we are members of the family of God, how should be we be treating our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ?  In the 1 John 3:14(a) verse quoted above, John says we should love the brethren.  But that's just the start. Paul has many instructions written in his epistles as to how we should treat our brothers and sisters in Christ. Although Paul's instructions were written to the churches of his day, they apply to us as well.

So if you are a member of the family of God, I look forward to seeing you at our family reunion in heaven someday!  (I wrote about that here.) If you're not a member of the family of God, we would love it if you would become our brother or sister in Christ.  If you're unsure about how to do that, you can read more about that here:  Got eternal life?

Thanks for reading! See you next time!

Diane