How important should family be to me?

QUESTION: “How important should my family be to me?”

ANSWER: Not as important as Jesus Christ and His family.

1. Father And Son Of God

Judas Iscariot had left to betray Jesus (John 13:21-30), Peter was told he would deny Jesus (John 13:36-38), and yet Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1). Faith in God should continue, no matter what people might do.

But faith in God necessitated faith in Jesus as God’s only begotten Son, for Jesus had said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me” (John 12:44). One cannot believe God is, but deny that His Son is Christ. “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15). Religions that deny Jesus is God’s Son do not, and cannot believe in the God of the Bible, the Father of Jesus Christ!

2. More Than Mother

A woman’s voice above the crowd “said to Him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!’ But He said, ‘More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’" (Luke 11:27-28). Jesus was born of Mary, the only virgin mother, ever! Yet His spiritual family meant more to Him than she did!

Before this incident, some had “said, ‘Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it’” (Luke 8:20-21).

His spiritual family now is “the house of God, which is the church of the living God” (1 Timothy 3:15), composed of all who “call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:2).

3. A Christian’s Conviction

Before becoming a disciple of the Lord, Paul said, “I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme” (Acts 26:11). He had tried to make them speak against Jesus. As a Christian, Paul wrote, “I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed” (1 Corinthians 12:3). No one following the Holy Spirit’s inspired Scriptures will contradict Jesus Christ.

By the Holy Spirit, who can say:

• Jesus did not build His church (Matthew 16:18)?
• Jesus did not purchase His church with His blood (Acts 20:28)?
• Jesus did not give sinners “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7)?
• Reject baptism to “wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16)?

“For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13).

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John T. Polk II

"A sinner saved by the grace of God." In 59 years of preaching I have taught advanced Bible studies in seven area-wide Bible Schools, outlined every book in the Bible, written devotional books on Psalms and Proverbs. 40+ years of radio experience. Engaged in 10 public debates, written articles for the Gospel Advocate, Gospel Standard, and is currently a staff writer for the Gospel Gleaner. Published articles online at fellowshiproom.com. Have a website of Bible materials at johntpolkll.com.

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