What Are Some of the Benefits of Being a Member of God’s Family? (Rom. 8:15-17)
Illustration;According to a study of more than 500 family counselors, the following are the top traits of successful families:
*Communicating and listening *Affirming and supporting family members *Respecting one another *Developing a sense of trust *Sharing time and responsibility *Knowing right from wrong *Having rituals and traditions *Sharing a religious core *Respecting privacy.
Focus on the Family Bulletin, December, 1988 .
1. How would you respond if someone asked you, "What are some of the benefits of being a member of the family of God?
Many of us would probably express our gratitude for God’s promise of eternal life, His protection and His blessings.
However, many Christians continue to fail to appropriate all the advantages they have as God’s child. Some live as rebels instead of children whose lives are pleasingly fruitful.
In God’s family we have a special identity, role and responsibility. Paul writes, "And if we are His children, then we are His heirs also; heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (sharing His inheritance with Him)." (Rom. 8:17)
Our heavenly Father bestows upon us a benediction, a blessing. God gives us of Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit – this is our greatest possession – His presence, His power and His love. (Psa. 16:11) He gives us a sense of belonging, acceptance and importance as children of a King.
God provides us with an inheritance of joy even with all the sorrows and hardships of life. The Lord bestows upon us a continual sense that we are secure since we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.
We are given so much and yet many will go to heaven with little in our hands to present as fruitful gifts to lay at His feet – why? Must we go on to heaven nearly empty-handed?
Ask the Lord to help you learn how to better appropriate the heritage that is yours as member of the family of God.
2. Paul teaches us that God’s family members have been delivered from bondage to sin. God’s children are liberated from sin, death and eternal judgment because Christ’s redemption.
No longer do His family members have to be defeated by guilt, helplessness or fear.
We can really mean it when we sing, "I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God. Washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood. Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod. I’m so glad we’re a family. A family of God."
Ask the Lord to help you to be more thankful for delivering you and giving you liberty to do everything God asks you to do with Christ’s help.
3. Paul teaches us how to appreciate our adoption when we consider the plight of non-family members.
Consider the terrible state of non-christians. Not only do they not enjoy the privileges, benefits and advantages of being a part of God’s family but they remain alienated from God, imprisoned by sin, belonging to the kingdom of darkness, guilty, vile, helpless, self-destructive, hostile, spiritually dead, lacking spiritual wisdom, fearful, angry, lustful, covetous, selfish, impure, mis-directed, hopeless, and condemned – to name but a few of the disadvantages.
Jesus said to the Pharisees, "You are of your Father the devil." (John 8:44)
Ask the Lord to help you develop a greater passion for bringing people into the family of God.
4. Paul teaches us that Godly people are produced best in Godly families.
We have all heard the expression, "Like Father, like son." A son develops the perception, traits and characteristics of his father.
We all become like those we associate with. The church tends to grow best in qualitative and quantitative ways when we emphasize healthy family growth.
The best communication is done in a family environment.
Ask the Lord to help you develop more of a Godly family life so you can produce Godly offspring.
5. Paul teaches us that children of God are given special care, love and guidance.
God’s family members are enabled to love their brothers and sisters with the love of the Father. Family fights should be turned over to the Father who knows how to settle all disputes.
When a person places saving faith in Christ they gain a special provision of God’s blessings.
Jesus said, "To all who received Him to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God – born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God." (John 1:12,13)
There are still about 90% of the world’s population that are lonely, lost and on their way to hell who need to become a part of God’s family – will you help them find the Lord?
Trust the Lord to help you mobilize laborers from the family of God into the fields that are ripe for the harvest.
Ask the Lord to help you encourage as many people as possible to receive God’s love, feeding and guidance.
6. Paul teaches us how to handle rebellious members of the family of God.
Some of the characteristics of rebellious, delinquent children is the feeling that they aren’t loved or appreciated and that they don’t really belong in the family.
This perception may well be faulty, but the very perception itself generally results in aberrant behavior.
James Dobson writes, "I have observed that many children know intuitively that they are loved by their parents, but they do not believe they are held in high esteem by them. These seemingly contradictory attitudes are not so uncommon in human relationships. A wife can love her alcoholic husband, for example, yet disrespect him for what he has become. Thus, a child can conclude in his own mind, "Sure they love me because I’m their child–I can see that I’m important to them–but they are not proud of me as a person. I’m a disappointment to them." (Hide or Seek p. 50)
Paul assures us that God’s love is to be continually affirmed to every family member. Most people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Ask the Lord to help you love your sisters and brothers as Jesus would to prove you are His disciples.
7. Paul teaches us that we must claim our inheritance as children of God.
Make a list of all of your rich inheritance and begin to pray about the all the ways the Lord wants you to utilize your advantages. Praise God for His characteristics that are now a part of you in the person of the Holy Spirit.
Consider all the promises that are yours in Christ. (2 Pet. 1:3-8)
Ask the Lord to guide you to a mentor who can show you how to best appropriate all your benefits as a member of the family.
Conclusion:From a national survey of strong families conducted by the Human Development and Family Department at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, a profile of a strong family:
Appreciation. "Family members gave one another compliments and sincere demonstrations of approval. They tried to make the others feel appreciated and good about themselves."
Ability to Deal with Crises in a Positive Manner. "They were willing to take a bad situation, see something positive in it and focus on that."
Time Together. "In all areas of their lives--meals, work, recreation--they structured their schedules to spend time together."
High Degree of Commitment. "Families promoted each person’s happiness and welfare, invested time and energy in each other and made family their number one priority."
Good Communication Patterns. "These families spent time talking with each other. They also listened well, which shows respect."
High Degree of Religious Orientation. "Not all belonged to an organized church, but they considered themselves highly religious." (1983)
Human Development and Family Department at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln.
