We Are Members of God’s Family
By Allan E. McNabb

The church is God’s household (1 Tim. 3:15).  In other words, we are members of God’s family.

God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate”  . . . “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you.  And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me. . .” (2 Cor. 6:14-18).

As Christians, God is our Father, and we are His children.  We are members of His family.

Household of the Faith
Another phrase identifying God’s family is “the household of the faith.”

• “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal. 6:10).

We are members of God’s family because we are obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7).

• Faith comes from hearing Christ’s word (Rom. 10:17).
• We must obey the gospel of Christ to be saved (2 Th. 1:8; Heb. 5:9).

When we obey the gospel, we are adopted by God and added to the church (Gal. 3:26-4:7; Acts 2:47).

• The church is God’s household — family (1 Tim. 3:15).

When we obey God’s word, in obedience to the faith, God makes us members of His family, adopting us as His children.

Citizens of Heaven
As members of the household of God, our citizenship is in heaven.

• “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household” (Eph. 2:19).
• “But God . . . made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:4-6).
• “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20).

Pillar and Support of the Truth
As God’s household, we are the pillar and support of the truth.

• “But in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).

We are responsible for preaching the truth to the world, and teaching it to every generation, as we earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 1:3).

Everyone is Important
Just like an earthly family, each person in God’s family is important.

• “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Eph. 4:14-16).

Everyone Has Work To Do
There is work everyone to do.  Like we sing in the song, Room In God’s Kingdom, “There is work that we all can do.”

Elderly members of God’s family may not be able to do the physical work they once did, but they are valuable teachers, leading the way to God in the latter years of life.

Christians in the prime of life have many responsibilities in the church.  We don’t all have the same talents and abilities, but each one is equally important (1 Cor. 12:12-26; Eph. 4:16).

Young Christians and children are growing in the Lord.  There are many things they do in God’s kingdom, while they prepare themselves for leadership roles in the future.

As a Family. . . .
We have a special relationship as God’s family, which can’t be experienced by people outside of Christ (2 Cor. 6:14-18).

The song, Bless Be The Tie, expresses this relationship:

Bless be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.

Before our Father’s throne we pour our ardent pray’rs; our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, our comforts and our cares.

We share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear; and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part, it gives us inward pain; but we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again.

Conclusion
It’s a wonderful privilege to be a member of God’s family.  When it comes to judgment, we’ll be judged first (1 Pet. 4:17), then in whatever capacity ordained by God, we’ll judge the world and the angels (1 Cor. 6:2-3).

Let’s carefully examine ourselves to ensure we’re walking in a manner worthy of our calling, so we don’t come short of the grace of God (Eph. 4:1; Heb. 12:15).  We are God’s family!