An Eternal Family
There is an old Gaither chorus I have loved since I was a kid. I grew up in a small church in rural Iowa where the congregation spent a few minutes every Sunday walking around the Sanctuary, greeting each other with welcoming handshakes and hugs. When the pastor was ready to corral the congregation back to their pews, he’d cue the pianist to play a chorus and together the congregation would sing:
“I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God. I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood. Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, for I’m part of the family, the family of God.”
This chorus was written to remind believers of one of God’s great gifts to us–his Church, our very own family in Christ.
The apostle Paul confirms this truth in Ephesians 2:19 when he exclaims, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” Paul then calls believers “fellow heirs, fellow members of the same body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 3:6).
The popular phrase, “blood runs thicker than water,” suggests family is the closest bond a human could have. However, there is a bond even stronger than the bond one shares with their parents or siblings, and that is the blood of Jesus Christ.
Christ-followers form the closest family in all of creation. The reality of being joined to Christ is we are also joined to each other through Christ. Take a moment and let this sink in. The family of God is made up of believers from all over the world and these believers are closer than our own kin. This is simply because we are united in the very Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, the God-man, the Messiah, Jesus!
So why do I share this with you today? I share simply as an encouraging reminder, that even though the world around us is divided, we have a family founded on an unbreakable, unshakeable, firm and true foundation. In Christ we are more than just friends and acquaintances, we are brothers and sisters who will be so for all of eternity. Let’s embrace this truth together.
