Matthew 26:39 “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,”
There is great interest in tracing our family lineage. World-wide computer systems have been established to help trace our family trees around the world. My dear Brother in Christ, Elder Vernis Stanaland (now with the Lord), and I once compared our family lineages and found that we have the same sixth great grandfather. Such lineage tracing is endearing and interesting; but, we agreed that the most precious lineage of all is that of “the whole family” of God “in heaven and earth”. Those who are “in heaven” are those who have passed from this present life into “heaven”. Those “in … earth” are those who remain alive. The “whole family” of our Heavenly “Father” is indelibly “written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27); that is, they are “written in the book of life from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 17:8). God the “Father” chose this “whole family” in Christ Jesus “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4). God the “Father” sent His Only Begotten Son, the Elder Brother of this “whole family”, to save the “whole family” “from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). And, our Beloved Lord declared that He has not and will not lose a single one of them, He will raise every one of them to Eternal Life with Him on the Last Day (John 6:39). This “whole family” is named after God, they are known as “The Children Of God”, for all have the same Heavenly “Father”. In this world, those of the “whole family”, who have taken up their cross to obediently follow our Lord, are called “Christians” (Acts 26:28), followers of Christ. In our natural families, we have physical attributes that help identify us as those of the same family. From the very instant of Spiritual Birth (John 3:1-8), the “whole family” of God are identifiable by a common attribute; that is, “… the fruit of the Spirit” which “is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance … ” (Galatians 5:22-23). John was blessed to see the “family” of God “in heaven” as “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues” as they “stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes” (Revelation 7:9). While we remain “in … earth”, let us live and behave in such a way that no one will ever have to ask us if we are a “Christian”, let it be seen and known by our behavior and demeanor!