I was born in a family oriented culture. I understand what people mean when they say family is always the most important thing because it is true that nothing can change the fact they are related to you by blood. My youth leader told me once that he loves his family in Christ more than his blood family. Luke 14 tells us to hate our family, which doesn't meant we don't care about them. We should choose God over our family and love Him so much more than when t compares your love for God and people, it is like you hate people. (Good to add that God helps your love for people increase)
This may be really hard but 1 John commands us to love our spiritual family. Does God want me to put family in Christ before my blood family?
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5 replies on this topic
KingsKid2 - 8/13/12 @ 8:12 AM
Well, I've never really thought about it that way before... I will think about it. Also have you tried searching a concordance under "family" to see what you come up with?
Sarah - 8/17/12 @ 3:36 PM
That's a good question. It could be taken so many ways--some would say that it simply means that we are to get along with our brothers and sisters in Christ, because so often the Church is divided against itself.
It could also be that because they are our spiritual family, we are to put them above blood relatives who do not share the same spiritual Father.
Needy Servant - 8/18/12 @ 9:36 AM
@sarah it means ssoo much mote than just "get along with each other" -
Jesus is our everything and we are in unity with Him and together, if our blood hates and despises Him they hate and despise us. We are to choose our spiritual family over blood because we have an eternal bond. Don't be mean or not love your blood, but just remember what the truth is...
Matthew 10:21-22 NKJV
“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.
Luke 12:52-53 NKJV
For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Commentary on it - www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/comm_view.cfm?AuthorID=1&contentID=7147&commInfo=25&topic=Luke
KingsKid2 - 8/20/12 @ 9:37 AM
I don't believe that our spiritual family should come before our earthly family. For one thing, it would not show the love of Jesus to our family (assuming they are unbelievers) if we were to ditch them once we become saved for our spiritual family. 1 Corinthians 7:14,16 says this " For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy... How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?"
So as a believer, we have an important task to show the love of Jesus to our earthly/natural family, and I don't believe one can do that if we turn our backs on them for our spiritual family. I hope this makes some sense to you. :)
Melanie - 9/22/12 @ 2:11 PM
I think its pointing out the difference between spiritual family and blood family. I know that not all of my family is saved, and we will not be together for eternity. :(
Maybe when someone puts their spiritual family first its because they dont have a close blood family. I dont have that either. Its something that is personal, not that should be preached as biblical truth for everyone.