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Family of God |
Dear Brethren,
The word "family" is mentioned only once in the New
Testament. It is a clear reference to the Family of God. "For this cause I bow
my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Ephesians 3:15 Of whom the whole family
[Greek - 'patria'] in heaven and earth is named." (Ephesians 3:14-15)
The Greek word for family is patria. Twice more it appears in the New Testament,
but not as a direct reference to the Family of God. (Luke 2:4, Acts 3:25)
The Family of God is composed, now, of God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son, and quite a
few brethren, who are now sons of God. "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 it 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." (1John 3:1-2)
It is Paul who explains our relationship in God's family. "For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again
to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of sonship, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit
itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the Children of God."
(Romans 8:14-16) God makes us His Children now so that we may eventually be converted and born as
spirit beings into the God Family. Our complete transformation into the immortal Family of God
will occur at our resurrection. That is God's ultimate purpose for the creation in us of
holy, righteous, spiritual and Godly character - so that we can be born into His eternal Family.
The apostle, John, further develops the concept of God's supreme Divine Family. "As many as
received Him [Jesus], to them gave he power [privilege] to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man, but of [the Will] God." (John 1:12-13)
When God calls us, He grants us repentance and faith, and then after baptism, we receive the promise
of the Father – an earnest of His Life - His Holy Spirit in us (Acts 1:4-5). We are
changed instantly into Children of God – no longer mere children of the world.
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God;
that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
(1Corinthians 2:12)
God’s Spirit in us begins the conversion process, which will culminate in our being born
into the eternal Family of God. God’s Spirit is the gift of God unto eternal
life (Romans 6:23). It is God’s Will that we enter His Family as His
Spirit-born Children. Jesus Christ described the process leading up to our spiritual birth
in the Kingdom of God to Nicodemus: “Truly, truly, I say unto you, Unless a man
be born [gennao] of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
That which is born [gennao] of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born [gennao] of the
Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:5-6)
The Greek word, gennao, encompasses the entire life process in the womb from the moment of
conception, the forming of the embryo, through prenatal development, to full maturity of the fetus
at birth. Jesus also uses gennao to mean the spiritual development in a converted
Christian that parallels the physical maturation period within the womb. Conversion is a process
that begins with a “newness of life” at water baptism and the laying on of hands,
and continues uninterrupted until we are raised as spiritual beings in the “ likeness of
Christ’s resurrection” (Romans 6:4-5).
This inconceivable truth is lost on the world. They think “Children of God” is a
platitude meaning simply that God created us. They cannot grasp the awe-inspiring reality
expressed in these Biblical words that convey the fact that our mere humanity is being transformed
into the Family of God. When a human being undergoes the Christian conversion
process, he enters a transformation from temporary mortal life to eternal God Life.
God created man-kind. He made them, man and woman, capable of reproducing their species,
their kind, only as an embryonic step in His plan to reproduce Himself - the God-kind.
God is in the process of reproducing Himself by beginning with God-like children who are a part
of His Family – the Family of God. In order for man to make that great leap, from
man-kind to God-kind, God gives baptized Christians a token of His Life - His Spirit. It is
only when God’s Life unites and changes our human life to be like His, that we are made into
His Godly children – and on our way to becoming fully converted. “It doth not
yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when [Christ] shall appear, we shall be like Him.
” (1John 3:2)
When we are literally born into the Kingdom of God, as full members of the Spiritual Family of
God, it will not be in these temporary physical bodies. In the resurrection to eternal
life, immortal Spiritual bodies that cannot perish will replace our old physical bodies.
“It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body… “Flesh and blood cannot
inherit the Kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”
(1Corinthians 15:44, 50) “The Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body,” (Philippians 3:21)
Brethren, a word of caution here: Some people, upon being baptized, begin to coast along
because they erroneously think, “I have it made – I’m converted now!”
No. God gives us the picture of a newly conceived babe in the womb that must grow and mature
until the day of its birth. If an unborn infant for any reason ceases to grow and develop,
it will die within the womb. In the same exact way, if anyone deliberately refuses God’s
help in overcoming sin, and renounces His Way of Life - they will be stillborn - and not enter the
Kingdom of God. As converted Christians, we must continue to grow in Godly righteous character
until our day of maturation - the day we have finished our course with joy (Acts 20:24). Only
then will we meet the criteria for our spiritual birth into the Family of God.
The conversion process begins with God’s Holy Spirit in us. “You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.” (Romans 8:9)
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| Sermon: |
"Family of God"
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This is #3 in the series: A Blending of the Gospel Accounts.
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