BLEST BE THE TIES THAT BIND
"Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” John 17:11 (NKJV)
"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17:20-23 (NKJV)
“That the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” 1 Corinthians 12:25-27 (NKJV)
The hymn “Blest Be the Tie that Binds”, refers to the church as the family of God bound together by spiritual kinship. Let us consider this tie of kinship and some other ties that bind us together with God and each other.
THE TIE OF KINSHIP
Kinship With the Heavenly Father:
“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:11-13 (NKJV)
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Galatians 3:26 (NKJV)
Kinship With Each Other as Brothers and Sisters in the Family of God:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:27-28 (NKJV)
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Romans 8:16-17 (NKJV)
THE TIE OF COMPANIONSHIP
With God:
"And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8 (NKJV)
Certainly we will never forget the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ when He said: “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20 (NKJV)
With One Another: “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple… praising God and having favor with all the people.” Acts 2:46-7
THE TIE OF PARTNERSHIP
“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:9 (NASB)
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NASB)
THE TIE OF FRIENDSHIP
"Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.” James 2:23 (NKJV)
"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit,” John 15:15-16 (NKJV)
