Family of God

As the Apostle wrote 1 Peter to those suffering, persecuted Christians, he reassured them with details concerning the family of God upon which they, as members, could lean. These Scriptures still give us comfort and strength as we look to this family of God for courage, strength, and support. In 1 Peter 2, the Bible says the family of God and individual Christians are the following:
"Newborn babes, living stones of spiritual house, priests, an elect race, of royal blood, a people for God’s own possession, a people of God, pilgrims, and a brotherhood."
This is the most glorious family on earth. We are the house or household of God (Ephesians 2:19-20; 1 Timothy 3:14-15; Hebrews 10:21; 1 Peter 4:17).
Romans 8:16-17 also describes the family structure of the New Testament church, “The
Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are 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 with him.” Therefore God is the Father and Jesus Christ is the Son (and the head of the church with all authority from God, Ephesians 1:22-23) and we are the brothers of Christ, joint-heirs with our Elder Brother Jesus. That which Jesus has inherited in heaven is awaiting all Christians. We can continue this family analogy,
-Born into this family John 3:3-5; 1 Peter 1:23
-Each is distinct and different but beneficial part (cf. 1 Corinthians 12)
-Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:1-2)
-We are not (should not) be part of another family cf. John 8:44
-We have an inheritance from our Father (Colossians 1:12)

If there has ever been a boy proud of his mother on Mother’s Day, if there has ever been a mother proud of her son’s grades, if there has ever been a daughter proud of her father’s occupation, if there has ever been a brother proud of his sister’s accomplishments, if there has ever been a father proud of his newborn son who would carry on the family name, then we, realizing that we are a part of the great and glorious family of Christ, ought to take great pride in our family and our family name (2 Corinthians 10:17, 1 Peter 4:17). Certain results come from taking pride in our family name, the name Christian. First, we should take enough pride in our family to tell others about it (Mark 16:15). Furthermore, would we not tell our friends if our fathers or mothers were a Senator or the President? But our Father is God! Second, the chief characteristic, the defining attribute, the distinguishing mark of our family should be love (John 13:35). We need to treat each other as family members OUGHT to be treated, 1 Timothy 5:2, “Rebuke not an elder, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brethren: the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.” Third, our pride in God’s family should affect enough allegiance within us to defend our glorious name through our mighty spiritual weapons. We should want to stand up for Jesus as we so readily sing, and we all should be willing to contend for the faith (Jude 3). Finally, we must live for this family, doing that which is our duty, giving our due diligence to God and one another.

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Grow Up

Each generation seems to be less responsible and less mature than the one before it. One of the signs of this is the fact that many adults live with and depend on their parents. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, “Statistics reveal that 25 percent of adult children between 30 and 34 still live at home or have returned home over a period of time (60 percent for the 22-to-24 set and about 30 percent for those from 25 to 29).”
We could postulate a number of different reasons for this phenomenon. People are getting more education, people are getting married later in life, and ultimately everyone (especially parents) is putting less and less responsibility on the shoulders of young adults. So, twenty-year-old guys sit around playing video games all day and party all night with their underwear hanging out of their pants. This is why twenty-year-old girls talk like ‘valley girls’ about meaningless things and wear too little with their underwear showing above their pants.
“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things,” 1 Corinthians 13:11. This is a principle. The church needs to lead the way in this society and the world concerning the way people should act. We should not shun proper responsibility. We should not put off growing up. Maturity should be sought by each and every one of us.
Christians are commanded to grow. “But speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ,” Ephesians 4:15. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…,” 2 Peter 3:18. God wants us to grow up and be more and more like Jesus. We also are to develop more grace (thankfulness) and knowledge. This requires that we encourage one another to grow and take the steps needed ourselves in order to mature according to the purpose which God has called us to His glory.

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Preparation for College 3

Spiritual Preparation

As a student nears the point of leaving home they must be ready to display their OWN faith. At college one will encounter an onslaught of forces from the world (unfortunately some of these are even present at Christian Colleges) and the prince of this world. Ephesians 6 would call these attacks "fiery darts":

1. Atheism – the belief that God does not exist (it has an ugly cousin “agnosticism” which means we cannot know that God does exist). Atheism exists on college campuses unlike any other place in the world, be ready for it. (Hebrews 11:1)

2. Evolution – life came from non-life and eventuated to human beings (it also has an ugly cousin “theistic evolution” which means life came from God who used evolution to get us to where we are today). Evolution is the predominant ‘science’ on college campuses. (Genesis 1:1-2:1)

3. Secular Humanism – the belief that everything man needs is within himself, and therefore he does not need to rely on God. (Jeremiah 10:23)

4. Immorality – drugs, alcohol, dancing (and “clubbing”), cheating, sex, and gambling will all be made readily available on 99% of ALL college and university campuses. These things are ‘normal’ for most college students. (Ecclesiastes 12:1, 1 Timothy 4:12)



Parents and students need to be aware of each of these, have the knowledge of Scripture to weather the storms brought on by them, and have the ability to show from reason and the Scriptures that a worldly life is against God's will.

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