Insolomonsporch's Blog

Day Five

Defining the Family of God

“   … for whosever shall do the will of my Father who is in [ the] heavens, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”  Darby Mt 12:46

This is a profound point – but one most of us downplay if not even overlook.  Jesus specifies the exact definition of who is in His family and who isn’t.  He gives no points for natural birthright – so entrance has nothing to do with “natural” lineage.  Instead He says the one who does the Father’s will is one who is a member of His family.  Hear this now!

“Doing the Father’s will” – is only possible when one is born again.  However, new birth alone does not guarantee one is doing the Father’s will.  Jesus stretches out His hand to his disciples declaring – “Behold, my mother and my brethren;” Mt 12:49.  Hence we see, before you can perform the will of the Father you must be a disciple.  You must be trained!

Training and discipline are precursors for performing the Father’s will.  Jesus, although He was a Son, learned obedience through what He suffered (Heb 5:8).  Yet we tend to think we naturally drift into creatures perfectly following the Father’s will once we are saved.  Not so sports fans!  The law is still a schoolmaster bringing us to see our deficits.  The Word renews our minds so we can be brought into the same likeness of Jesus.  And indeed, we too learn obedience by what we suffer – because obedience is the heart and hallmark of a member of the family of God.  But obedience never comes naturally!  It comes when as an act of our will, we choose the Father’s will.  At each moment of choice we align ourselves with God’s will!  “Doing” His will then becomes possible when He is formed in me.  Not before.

How can I know this is true?  Romans 8:29 is clear:  “Because whom he has foreknown, he has also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of His Son, so that he should be [the] firstborn among many brethren.” (Darby)

We are to be constantly being conformed to the image of Christ.  Like a Divine Sculptor the Father is constantly laying the template of Christ over us, chiseling away here, sanding there – until our borders match the borders of Christ’s nature! This is the Divine purpose!  However, all the work is actually performed from the inside out — with our cooperation.  It is not “forced upon us”.  It is provoked within us!  We see – and then we agree, and the Father does His work.  This is what allows us to cooperate and do the will of the Father.  This is what brings us into the Family of God!

Become a disciple, be family, and be-loved … ∞