Special Insights No. 10
First Quarter 2006
Adult Sabbath School
Lessons
“Families in the Family of God”
(Produced by the Editorial Board of the 1888 Message Study
Committee)
Families of Faith
Families in the family of God are families of faith. God’s family
plan was to be perpetuated as seen in the promise to Abraham, “In
you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12: 3).
Everywhere Abraham traveled, he built an altar to worship the
Lord. The promise that all nations should be blessed in Abraham, specified
families. The religion of Abraham was a family religion, a family
of faith. The “family altar” was never neglected by him in his family.
This was the practice of the father of the faithful to whom the promise
was made, and of which we are partakers if we are of his faith and
practice.
Jesus used a family term to illustrate entrance into the family of
God. He told Nicodemus that a person must be “born again” or “from
above” as a prerequisite for becoming a member of God’s family of
faith (John 3:3). As one responds in appreciation to Christ, as He
is lifted up, a change occurs in a person’s heart and mind (John 3:14). Families of faith are created by believing the gospel of Christ (Rom.
10:17; Rev. 14:6, 12). These families appreciate God and every other
member of His family. Regardless of national origin or culture, a
family of faith centers its life in Jesus, the Author of faith.
The Gospel and Culture
The existence and use of culture depends upon an ability possessed by humans alone. Culture is a complex whole, which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. Culture can be good or evil.
In the not too distant past, Christian missionaries tended to teach and some to even force western culture on other segments of society in a given region of the world. However, today Christianity is being penetrated by other religions with their cultures from the Far and Middle East. Christianity, in general, seems to have lost the power of the gospel.
Nevertheless, the “everlasting gospel” will be preached in every
nation, language and culture of earth, as a witness to all nations
before the Second Coming of Jesus (Rev. 14:6; Matt. 24:14). The gospel
of Christ is like the sunshine; it belongs to every culture, every
language, every nation in the world. It must be clearly presented
within every culture among the various racial groups of this world.
There is no nation where the gospel shall not be heard. Regardless
of the culture, of which persons are traditionally accustomed, the
gospel believed will wonderfully change hearts and bring people into
the family of God. The portrayal of the gentleness of Jesus will reach
across the cultures of the world and create families of faith.
A Healing Message
In the fourth chapter of Malachi we have a healing message, especially
for families of faith, in the last days of earths history. “The Sun
of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings” (Mal. 4:2).
Healing and restoration will be as obvious and undeniable as the bright
light of the rising sun. Malachi joins this figure with another restoration
message of Elijah, in verses 5 and 6: “Behold I will send you Elijah
the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the
Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
and the hearts of the children to the fathers.”
This message encourages reconciliation of conflicts within families
of faith. This experience will come as the reconciliation of God to
the world, in Christ, is accepted. God will send Elijah’s message
for a very special purpose, to heal and restore fractured families
in the family of God. This will bring revival and reformation to His
people and will spread throughout the world. A glimpse of Eden
will be seen in the families of faith in the family of God.
God’s Promise to All Families of Earth
Originally God’s intention was to have one family of faith on earth. This intention was shattered after sin entered the family. Division within the human family produced fighting and finally the flood. After the flood, the families of Noah’s sons were further divided although they spoke the same language. Separation following God’s interruption of the building of the tower of Babel completed the division by families and nations according to language differences followed by cultural differences (Gen. 10:32-11:9).
God did not abandon any of the divided families of earth. He especially blessed them when He promised His blessing upon Abraham. In the account given by Moses in Gen. 12:1-3 we learn of an individual blessing to Abraham and a corporate blessing to all families of earth. When God blessed Abraham, He said Abraham would be blessed and be a blessing. God promised that in him “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). This expression shows that the promise was not merely a local affair. It extends to the whole world.
The blessing of Abraham, which comes on all the families of the earth,
comes only through the cursed cross of Christ. Paul made this clear
in his letter to the churches in Galatia: Christ hath redeemed us
from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written,
Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree; that the blessing of Abraham
might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive
the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal. 3:13, 14).
The Cross and Families of Faith
Every family of earth has been blessed because of the cross of Christ,
which is the heart of the 1888 message. The blessing of Abraham comes
on the Gentiles, or all the families of the earth, through Jesus Christ
and His cross. Christ was made to be the “curse” that the “blessing
of Abraham” would come to every family and to every individual. The
promise of God to Abraham and to his seed, extended to Christ and
it continues to extend even to us, “I will be their God.” “I will
establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendents after
you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to
you, and to your descendents after you” (Gen. 17:7, 8). “The cross stands alone, a great center in the world. It does not
find friends, but it makes them” (Review and Herald, Sept.
29, 1891). As Christ the Crucified is lifted up and families of earth
are thereby made friends they enter into the great family of God,
regardless of national origin or culture.
—Gerald L. Finneman
[For an expanded version of this “Insight”]
Read Special Insights #11 |