Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/80

Contributor - Peter Potma

Title - The Family Of God

Topic - Family

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

What is a family?

The dictionary states that a family is: (1) a group of persons, consisting of parents and their children. (2) A group of persons forming a household. (3) A succession of persons connected by blood, name, etc.

Those three definitions pretty well tell us what the component requirements for a family are.

As we look around us, we see a variety of families, all made up of different combinations of components or individuals. Some families seem to be very complete, all the right number of blocks to make up the structure. But in some other cases some of the pieces are missing. Maybe one of the parents or a child is missing, is not part of the family anymore, but there still remains a resemblance of a family.

Our Heavenly Father is very much family-oriented. He instituted and started the family idea, and no matter how we try to arrange our family structures, for the short time we are here on earth, He has a far greater overall family plan that reaches much further and is everlasting. Even though His family is much greater in scope, it still lays out the foundation and working order for the small family to live by. God's master plan shows the authority structure, the submission of one to another and the relationship there has to be between the members of the family. It is not just a group of specific individuals all with the right tags that make the family, it is the relationship with each other that makes the family a living and life giving unit. Let us look to some scriptures to see what God has in mind for His family. The family of God.

It is important that a family has an identity, it has to be recognizable.

The apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 3:14 - 15 as part of his prayer for them: "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. "

One of the significant things about Paul's writings to the Ephesian church is that he speaks a number of times about God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. One of the emphases in that letter is that God is a father.

The Phillips translation of this letter brings out this point even better, it says: "When I think of the greatness of this great plan I fall on my knees before the Father from whom all fatherhood, earthly or heavenly derives its name".

This brings out a relationship between the word "father" and "family" which is not as clear in English, but in the Greek language the word family (patria) is directly derived from the word father (pater). The Phillips translation therefore correctly translates "family" as "fatherhood". That fact alone opens up a whole new outlook on the "family of God".

It shows us that there is fatherhood in heaven and that there is fatherhood on earth. Wherever you have fatherhood it derives its name from the great life source of the universe - God the Father. That is why the family is so sacred, because it carries upon it the imprint of the name of God Himself.

With the foregoing in mind, I would like to relate the family structure and God's family plan to the largest family on earth, the Church. The church and its unity (or disunity). To which extent is the church functioning as a family the way it is supposed to do? It appears very much and I mentioned earlier that some family units seem to be somewhat incomplete, there is someone or something missing.

I believe that the church is functioning as a family with all its failure, fighting and disagreeing. Take a look at a typical family, a father, a mother, and a number of children. First of all they are an identifiable unit. They are all named after the father. The wife has united herself with her husband as one and has taken on his identity, the children in turn have been fathered by him together with her and have also taken on the identity of the father by having his last name. We therefore now have a unit that is completely one, in total harmony, living and loving and serving as a family should. If you think that this is so, look again. Yes, the wife did unite herself to the husband, and the children did take on the last name of their father, but the oneness of that family unit takes more than having the same last name, even if that name is "Christian". So what is lacking, what is needed to make that family one? In many households there are rules whereby everyone is governed. As long as someone does not break any of the rules, there is peace. In other families there may not be any rules and as long as each family member does not interfere with the others there is peace. Those are two opposing views that are being practiced in the church today.

Those are just two of the ways in which we see the church functioning today. I am sure that we can add many more variations, but that is not what we are trying to sort out here.

Our main purpose is to find what God the Father has to say about how He wants the family to function. So let us go over it in a little more detail.

We have established that God is our heavenly Father. Jesus Christ has made that abundantly clear in many of his statements. He also has told us in many instances that through Him, we as Christians are children of God the Father. John 1: 12 reads: "But as many as received him (Jesus Christ), to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his (Jesus Christ) name." 2 Cor. 6:18 says: "And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty". Gal. 3:26 "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus". These scriptures along with many others should t leave any doubt in our minds that *when we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we have become children of our heavenly Father, children of a loving and caring Father. We have through Jesus Christ taken on a new identity, we have passed from death into life, we have received a new name, we are a new creature, 2 Cor. 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new". We have become part of a family, the family of God.

This family of God is a large family, it has a great number of children, it has a great variety of children. It has children who in many ways differ one from another, not only in looks, but also in the way they respond to the father and to each other. You will discover in the scriptures that God does not vary in His relationship to us, his children, Acts 10: 34 - 35 "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him".

God the Father is of one mind, He is truth, He is love, in Him is no variance. But with His children it seems to be a little different. Let's have a closer look at this.

In any family where there are a number of children you will discover different characters. Although they are offspring of the same parents, they do not all look or act alike. Some are shy, other are aggressive. Some are quick, others are slower. Some are tender, others are bold. But they are all children. We accept these children with all their different character traits because we know that they will be different because they are individuals with a free will and spirit. As a parent we often have to deal with these children, because their different characters have gotten the upper hand over their brotherly love. We as parents understand that because our children are different that does not mean that they are not related. We know that the children's relationship as brothers and sisters is not based on their likes and dislikes or their characters, but it is based on the fact that they were born into a specific family. The fact that they are brothers and sisters is something they can not alter. How they work out that relationship is another matter.

It is the same in the family of God. We do not have any choice in who our brothers and sisters are. Our friends we can choose but our brothers and sisters we are born with. Our heavenly Father has fathered us together into His family. But it does not stop at that He also has made provisions for us to work out our relationship with each other.

Before we can relate to each other as brothers and sisters we have to know one another. Who are my brothers and sisters? Jesus says in Matthew 12:50 "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother". If Jesus calls you His brother or sister that makes you a brother or sister to all the others He calls his brothers and sisters. It is not your choice. It is His command and will.

The church (family of God) today is in much the same shape as we see many of today's families. In name they are the same, but in true fellowship, oneness and love many families are torn apart, separated even to the point of hating each other.

We see many denominations unwilling to fellowship together, we even see congregations of the same denomination unable to have a true brotherly love. Also within each congregation there is fighting, misunderstanding and generally a great lack of true brotherly love. I have the feeling that if the church was to be used as an example in a family study seminar, it would be shown as the bad example. Why? How come the church can not get along better? How come we are so unwilling to come together as a family and have a real relationship of love? Where did we go wrong? Are we to blame?

Let us look at the start of the family. In Acts 2: 41 - 47 we read: "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things in common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

When you read that portion of scripture you get the distinct feeling that the early church was a close knit and loving family. That same scripture also tells us why. Verse 41 says: "They that gladly received his word," verse 42: "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship," That tells us something. That means that those Christians gladly heard and lived by the truth. The truth being that without Jesus Christ they were lost sinners, the truth being that they accepted the authority of the apostles over them as instituted by Jesus Christ. The truth being that they had to love one another and care for one another. When you have a family with authority and response to authority you have a close knit family, When you have a family where one really cares for the other you have a loving family. When you have a family where one esteems the other better than himself, you have love.

Philippians 2:3 reads: "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory;

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