Born to be family

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth (1 Timothy 3:14-15 ESV).

Perhaps I am not the only one who feels uncomfortable when eulogies are given for someone who has just died that go through a list of all their relationships to others: 

“He was a father, son, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew …”

Doubtless when this catalogue is duly recited it gives solace to many who mourn. For me, though, it brings the awkward realisation that I am none of those things to anybody still living. I was once able to tick some of the boxes, but nearly all my blood relatives of any closeness have now died out. Does that mean I shall be a non-person when it is my turn to go and eulogies are spoken over me?

I am very fortunate to have an adopted family - as I’ve mentioned before in the pages of this blog. I’m not sure whether they adopted me or whether it was the other way round, but they are a very important part of my identity. They amply make up for the premature loss of blood relatives. I meet up with them at Christmas and other times of the year. They encourage me to contact them whenever I feel the need. They look for regular contact with me. There are also other households that have been kind enough to remark when I’ve visited, 

“We regard you as part of the family, you know”. 

I thank God for all of them.

A crucial part of the wonder of Christmas is the way the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth to be part of human families - including our own, if we have been adopted by faith into the household of the Kingdom of God. A writer in Our Daily Bread puts it this way:

“The mystery of Christmas is that Jesus came to us as God in the flesh. Those who believe in Him are called the body of Christ, the church. Paul uses various metaphors to describe it. In 1 Timothy 3:15 he refers to the church as “God’s household.” He is saying that God is our Father, Christ is our brother (Hebrews 2:11-12), and we are God’s children (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26).”

But what is this for? What are its implications? Is it simply there to comfort us and reassure us that we have an identity somewhere? It is more than that. It binds us tightly to the truth of the Gospel which it is the Christian church’s role to contend for. The writer adds,

“Because our Father is the God of truth (John 3:33), because Jesus is the truth (14:6), and because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (15:26), the church is “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).”

By trusting in Jesus as Saviour men, women and children are being adopted into a special family. It is special not simply because the family members can tick boxes to affirm that they have an identity on earth. It is special because it stands for eternal truths and has everlasting rewards. Have you established your relationships in this family?