Building up believers and the New Testament church

The Family of God

"I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15). "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:17,18).

"For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren" (Hebrews 2:11). "Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God..." (1 John 3:1,2).

The truth that God is our Father and we are His children, part of His family, is totally a New Covenant truth. In the Old Testament, we do not see God revealed as a loving Father. The reason behind this is very important to us. The fact that we are now part of God's family, in reality, is a glorious revelation that gives us much direction in our walk in His life.

The natural family is the most intimate functioning unit that God has designed for mankind, and the spiritual family is more intimate yet, because it brings us into the spiritual realm where God dwells. The natural family is designed for certain purposes, and the spiritual family is also at the center of God's purpose. We need to consider some of the truths of this spiritual family, that they may direct our walk and our functioning together in God's household. If we want to grow up spiritually and see the testimony of God strengthened, we need to clearly see God's purpose in His family so we can give ourselves to that purpose in faith, with no reservations. Let us ask God to give us a clearer revelation of His mind in this area, that God may be glorified in and through us.