New Family in Christ

May 3, 2009

Background Scripture: Ephesians 1:3 – 14
Lesson Passage: Ephesians 1:3 – 14

The family unit is the basic building block of a society. There are a number of ways in our society whereby a person becomes a part of a new family. The more common ways are adoption, foster care, and marriage. In each case, the new member becomes acquainted with other members of the family even as they become familiar with the new member. Sometimes the process is a joy and sometimes it is not. Nevertheless, all members of the family must come to understand and know the family and their role as a member of it. Membership in a family comes with privileges and responsibilities. The family has a history that was there before the new member’s arrival. New members have an ongoing responsibility to uphold the family’s honor as well as be a productive family member. As we begin a series of studies in Ephesians, Paul will help us understand more about the Christian family of which we have become members.

We are spiritually rich because we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in Heaven. We were chosen to be members of this spiritual family before the earth was formed. We were chosen to become holy not because we were. Since these things took place before the earth was formed, we could not possibly have had anything to do with it. Our salvation is all a work of God. It pleased God to order circumstances to assure that we would be adopted as children through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the central focus of God’s divine plan. Jesus’ blood was the price paid for our redemption. Because of Adam’s sin, we were born into a sin situation that caused a separation between us and God’s plan for us. By natural birth, we were the property of sin and estranged from the family of God. Jesus redeemed us back to God. Part of our family history includes what God accomplished for us through Jesus. God does not want us to be ignorant of this. God has provided for us that we would know his purpose for us in Christ. God is very methodical in working out his plan for us. He does not bring us all in wholesale as just another number. He comes into our lives and brings us one by one into the family. God deals with us in a very personal way. That is one of the reasons we don’t all have the same testimony. The family of God grows one member at a time. Although several individuals may respond at what seems to be the same time, God has in fact summoned us individually. This is part of God’s predestination for the family. The family was destined to grow over time as we are all gathered together in Christ. We are all made heirs of eternity through Jesus. The process God uses to gather the family members is the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Family members respond through their faith to the calling that was established in them before the foundation of the earth. After believing the gospel message and accepting it and our individual responsibility, the indwelling Spirit of God comes in as a seal or guarantee that God’s promises are sure and that all things are secure for now and throughout eternity for the family member. In this passage of scripture, Paul declares God to be the source of the blessing, Jesus to be the vehicle through whom the blessing is received, and the Holy Ghost as the assurance of our eternal inheritance.

Robert C. Hudson
April 22, 2009