The Family of God

The Family of God

By Michael Galloway

            It was in the television show, M*A*S*H that it was said, "I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family he is rich." This statement has so much truth in it; if we have family we are so rich. It is wonderful that God gave us a family; not just an immediate family, but also a spiritual family. Why is the spiritual family so important?

            First, the spiritual family is important because we can suffer together. The church, our spiritual family, is supposed to "bear one another’s burdens." It is our brothers and sisters in Christ who can help us get through trials together. Although the church can help us when we are weak, it is also our obligation to help others when they are weak (Romans 15:1-3). The church works both ways after all Christ didn't just come to be served but to serve. As members of the family of God we must have the exact same attitude, we must not just be served, but we must also serve others.

            Second, the family of God is so important because we can help each other get to heaven. As Christians we can help our fellow Christians from falling into apostasy. We can encourage our family when our brothers and sisters need that extra boost (1 Thessalonians 5:11). When members of the spiritual family are falling, we can be like Paul (Galatians 2:11) when he corrected Peter because "he stood condemned." Our job as members of the family of God is to first and foremost serve God. The second great commandment is to love one another, which is essential to help each other get to heaven. If we love God we will encourage and correct one another with love, because love should cause us to want each other to get to heaven.

            Last, we should rejoice together (3 John 1:3-4). If we are doing everything possible to serve God, and to help our fellow Christians get to heaven we should be rejoicing with one another. Many times Christianity is looked at as a religion that takes all the joy out of life. In reality, Christianity does the exact opposite and puts joy into life. If you want happiness, you must have a purpose in life. Christianity has that purpose, which is to serve God, and get to heaven. As the family of God we can rejoice because we can realize that one-day it will all be over and we can be with each other in heaven.

            The family of God, the church has such great riches for us as Christians trying to follow God's will on earth. It is a church that can lead us to even greater riches, on that beautiful day when we get to heaven.