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The Family of God

Family of God

“The beginning of love for the brethren
is learning to listen to them”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Listening to our brothers and sisters in Christ comes from the mutual respect and recognition borne of His Spirit. Whenever and wherever we see the evidential testimony of Christ within another life we are bound by the wonder of His Life to them.

“For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Matthew 12:50

It is not by confessions that we are bound to one another; it is His life moving, enabling, and willing to will in us to “DO of His good pleasure”. Brotherhood/sisterhood is the result of His Life not of some verbal religious confession.

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven”
Matthews 7:21

It is also much deeper than signs and wonders and words of confession:

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity”
Matthew 7:22-23

There are many who believe differently, who see things differently but within their lives, there is an unmistakable sense they are His; not on the basis of confession but by the evidence of His Life being in them.

Jesus prefaced this powerful discerning truth by declaring:

“Wherefore by their fruits,
ye shall know them…”
Matthew 7:20

How wide and how narrow is the Body of Christ! The attributes of His Spirit are the evidence of His Life. Doing His Will is the summation of the Life of Christ. He came to DO the Will of the Father and to whatever measure His heart is ruling in our own, will be the evidence of His Life within. There is a wideness and a mercy which wells up within all who have been baptized by that One Spirit into the One Body for one another.

“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many”
1 Corinthians 12:13-14

It is my prayer that we all would drink in of this ONE truth… we are One because of His Spirit inhabiting, moving, and breaking down the walls of the division made by the teachings of men. There are many with whom we may converse concerning Christ but that is not fellowship, that is not what comprises the family of God. The Body of Christ is where each member is joined BY and IN His Spirit fusing us into a “spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5) where we flow together in the unifying Spirit of His growing Lordship. It is only living stones that are capable of being a part of this spiritual house.

“They profess to know God,
but they deny him by their works”
Titus 1:16

Brian Troxel

 

 

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