“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” Ephesians 2:19-20
When becoming a Christian, we are not just changing the status on our Facebook, or our political party, but are being brought into a whole new family! We Christians make up a new nation, the people of God, belonging to God as His Royal Priesthood and Holy Possession (1 Peter 2:9-11)! We are no longer our own, but bought at a price and must understand we represent God as Christ’s Ambassadors (1 Corinthians 6:20, 2 Corinthians 5:20). We are the family of God, with Jesus as our Big brother and God as our Father. When becoming a Christian we are raised with Christ to a new hope, a new creation, and to form a new household (Romans 6:1-4).
To be a member of God’s household, we must be apart of Christ’s Body, which is the church. “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:18-20
To be a member of God’s household, we must meet the standards He sets in His Holy Word. If we are to form the body of Christ, we too must call ever member to God’s standard! Let us take a close examination of God’s family, so we can understand better the standard of each member to be a totally committed Christian!
Adoption Is Available For All!
“This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 3:6
Christianity is available to all men. It no longer depends on your nationality (Judaism), or the ethnicity of your skin, but becoming a Disciple of Jesus is for all nations (Matthew 28:18-20)! God wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4). His family is full of diversity! No longer are people divided by racism, prejudice, or economic standings. In Gods Household we are all one nation, one people, one body, one church, and working together to fulfill one purpose of sharing the gospel to every creature under heaven in our generation (Ephesians 4:4-6, Matthew 28:18-20, Colossians 1:6,23)!
Only One Way In!
There is only one way into this world, and that is to be born into it! In the same way, there is only one way for each of us to enter into God’s Household, that is to be born into it!
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-13
Jesus gives us a better understanding of what this scripture means in John 3:5-7
“Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”
The only way into the family of God is to be born of water and the spirit. “Water” is coming from the Greek word “hydōr” meaning of water in any of the earth’s repositories. “Spirit” is coming from the Greek word “pneuma” meaning the Holy Spirit. John 3 is for sure talking about baptism in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38-41, Acts 8:26-39, Romans 6:1-4, Colossians 2:11-12). This is a decision for each person to make once they have faith, have fully repented from all sin and have been made into a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 24:44-49, Acts 2:36-38). If someone is only born of water and not the spirit, they are not in the family of God. If someone is only born of the Spirit and not water, they are not in the family of God. But in fact being born of water and spirit, happen at the same time we come in contact with the blood of Jesus, and all three are in agreement with each other (Romans 3:23-25, 1 John 5:7-9)! This is the only way into God’s family, and we must not change the standard on how to become a member of Christ’s body!
You Can Lose Your Place In The Family!
A false teaching has been spread like a virus in modern-day Christendom that says, “once saved, always saved.” We can see from 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 that if you no longer hold to the teaching of Christ, you have believed in vain and you will go to hell. Not to say you never had salvation but that you can lose your salvation.
We are taught that nothing in this present life can “take” us away from the love of Christ (Romans 8:31-38)! In regards to something stealing us away from Christ, this is true. However, one thing is not listed which does have the power to take us away from the love of Christ, our selves (Luke 15:11-32, Hebrews 3:12, Jude 20-21)! God will allow you to walk away from Him, to leave His house, and to leave the family. God still loves every person, the righteous and the sinner alike, but this does not mean everyone is in a right relationship with Him. In fact, if we do not hold up our end of the relationship, God can cut us off from the body of Christ (John 15:1-8)! God will do this by using godly leaders to enforce His standard, for instance, look at what Paul says about the immoral brother from among us, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12-13.
Being in the body is not a matter of friendship and favoritism, it is a matter of following the truth and being in a relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ, His Son! We are not the family of God because we feel like it, we are the family of God because of doctrine! We must not be afraid to lose a friendship if it means gaining a brotherhood. Only through the blood of Jesus and holding to his teaching can we form the family of God (John 8:31-32). Therefore we have to call each other to the standard in love, as we are to be the Body of Christ. “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” Ephesians 4:25
House Rules Must Be Followed!
In every household, there are house rules. God is the creator of His house rules, and they must be followed if we want to stay in his household!
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.” Ephesians 5:1-6
To be sexually immoral, impure, greedy, or an idolater is not something you can “work on” while being a member of Gods household. It is something you must repent of if you want to stay in this family, the family of Christ. God is not worried about the quantity of people but is more concerned about the quality (1 Peter 3:18-20). God has always shown us that his righteousness matters more than the majority! We too must have this heart to fight to uphold God’s standard for the family. We must not water down our convictions because “so many people are doing it.” We must be willing to have a sold out base of totally committed Christians because we are not building our own kingdom, but God’s kingdom and this is His standard on what we must do to stay under His roof!
While being in the body of Christ, it is not enough for us to be better than ourselves in previous years (2 Corinthians 2:12). We must consistently compare ourselves with Christ and with God himself (Ephesians 5:1). Let us close out with Colossians 3:15-16 as we teach each other the standard of Gods Household!
“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Love,
Coltin L Rohn