#233: A New Family

There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call. (Eph 4:4)

This month, we have been taking a journey through scriptures by God's grace to identify new paradigms that God was doing in history but anchored and initiated through the coming of Jesus. Christmas is a period that several believers celebrate the birth of Jesus; and at Sunday Mornings Blog, it is vital to meditate on the different things that Jesus's birth brought about. Today, we will explore how Jesus established the foundation for a new family.

Arguably the classic reason why a new creation was necessary was to create a basis for a new family.

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hand - remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He, Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through Him, we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. (Eph 2:11-19)

So, in Jesus, God was creating a new family; a multi-ethnic family. comprising all people groups, nations, tribes and tongues. In order to understand the context of the multi-ethnic family, we have to go back to the promise that God made to Abraham

...and in you, all the families of the earth will be blessed. Gen 12:3

So, in Jesus, all our differences are dissolved. What makes a black man black and what makes a white man white is insignificant in the new family of God. He was not just reconciling our sins but also reconciling our differences with each other.

In the salvation plan of God, right from the old testament, God's plan was to extend all that He was doing with Israel to the rest of the world.

and they sang a new song, saying, "worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood, you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation..." Revelation 5:9

That is why we call ourselves brothers and sisters in Christ. There is a connection that is beyond understanding. It is a mystery as explained by Paul in Eph 3 - where people who have no reason to be united and should not be living together because of cultural differences are worshipping the one true God together in communion. It was more distinct back in the days of Paul (because we seem to be more tolerant these days than with previous generations) yet we can agree that no matter how tolerant we are, there are still racist chants and xenophobic movements; but when a hearth is yielded to the cross, all those differences are lost and we are all part of one united body - the church of Christ. We have a new culture - the Jesus culture.

Have you ever met another Christian from another race, country, or tribe and was it difficult to relate to and edify each other because of the cultural differences? Let us know in the comment below.

Shalom.

Join us next week to celebrate another new thing that Jesus' coming brought about. You do not want to miss it. It is a Christmas Special Episode.