If you are a follower of Jesus then we belong to the same family. We are part of the only church, or Body of Christ. Someday when this life is over we will then join ALL of our family in eternity.
This is a very comforting thought for me. I long for all of my relatives and friends to know Jesus but....at the same time I know that when I reach heaven all my relatives will be there. Everyone there will be my family! That is all I will know about it. The family of God.
I also understand that all believers everywhere are my family regardless of what "church" or denomination they belong to. Do I desire for them to know true organic Body life? Yes. Do I believe that many people are being led astray by mainstream Christianity? Yes. But I also know God has people everywhere that He longs to draw closer to Him.
It is just a bummer that people are so divided by "churches" and denominations. It is very hard for many to see that these very institutions divide us. It is as Paul said--"some say, I'm of Paul--I'm of Apollos" and so on. People have divided themselves.
But I love the true church or the Body of Christ. And I desire to see it unified under His headship, not man's.
A family after all should not be so formal. What kind of families would we have if we patterned them after the institutional church? Think about it.
That's a good point about what families would be like if they were like the institutional church. Unfortunately I think are many families who DO operate that way. Perhaps the institutional church is at fault for portraying the wrong example.
ReplyDeleteYou are right again! Jason married up for sure!! There is definite truth in your statement.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that people realize that there church experience can be hurting the family structure. Not to mention the whole age segregation thing...but that is going to be another post topic I think.