Family is important. We can join by birth or adoption. In the first we have our parents’ DNA. The second makes us heirs by proxy—we do not have our parents’ DNA but we have family membership. In this latter relationship we may look and act differently than our parents and any naturally born siblings.
Spiritual Family
The family of God is similar, but we are all born into the family of God by choice as a result of our confrontation with the gospel facts—the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christaccording to the Scriptures (see 1 Corinthians 15:1-11). We must make a decision: accept Jesus as Lord and Savior or not. If we accept Christ we receive his spiritual DNA, becoming participants in the divine nature coming to us in our knowledge of Jesus, resulting in our being granted the “very great and precious promises” as a result of his glorification or resurrection (see 2 Peter 1:1-8).
As a spiritual newborn we hunger for spiritual milk, the Word of God. Satisfaction of this hunger results in spiritual growth in two ways: putting off the acts of the sinful nature (see Galatians 6:19-21) and the putting on of the “divine nature” (see 2 Peter 1:4-8 and Galatians 6:22-24).
Family Growth
Growing spiritually, we come to understand Jesus is the “living stone” who was elect of God and through whom we become like “living stones.” We, together with our Lord, build a spiritual house which is the church. He is our High Priest who “sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heavens” (Hebrews 8:2) and through whom we become a “holy priesthood” offering our own lives as spiritual, living, sacrifices unconformed to this world (Romans 12:1-2). Therefore we must, as his chosen people, avoid fleshly lusts that war against our spirits (see Romans 7:14-25). |L
Richard F. Wilson has been President of the College of the Scriptures in Louisville, Kentucky for the past seven years. During that time he has served as chief administrator, professor, and acting dean. Richard and his wife Nancy have two daughters and currently make their home near Springville, Indiana.
