Christianity: Adopted into the Family
By Rick Warren
“You will all be joined together, and you will give glory to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other, which will bring glory to God”(Romans 15:6-7 NCV).
There are only two ways to get into a family: You can either be born into it, or you can be adopted into it. God does both for you! It’s called being born again, and it’s called being adopted into the family of God. God does both.
In Roman law, which people followed in the New Testament, you could disown a child you birthed. But if you adopted a child, you were forbidden to ever disown them. God says you are not only born again into his family, but he has adopted you, and there is no way he will ever disown you. That’s good news!
You may ask, “No matter what I do? Really?” No matter what you do!
Once you’re born, you cannot be unborn. Once you are born again, you cannot be unborn again. The fellowship may be broken, but no matter what your parents say, everybody knows you are still their child. In the same way, once you become a child in the family of God, you remain in the family of God!
The Bible says in 1 Timothy 3:15, “I want you to know how people who are members of God’s family must live. God’s family is the church” (GW). We are the family of God. Church is not something you go to. Church is something you belong to. You’re grafted into the vine and the tree of life. You’re born again and adopted into the family of God. He’s saying all these things. You’re joined into the body of Christ.
Most people think that Christianity is a belief system. There are beliefs involved, but it’s more than that. It’s about connection and belonging. Being a Christian means you belong to the family of God. It means you are a part of the Body of Christ.
The Bible says it’s like being born into a family.
Romans 15:6-7 says, “You will all be joined together, and you will give glory to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other, which will bring glory to God” (NCV).
And this was God’s plan all along — to make you part of his family!
If you have never accepted Jesus as your Savior, and want to learn more, visit the Know God section on the Daily Hope website.
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Talk It Over
- What are the benefits to belonging to the family of God?
- What is the evidence in your life that you belong to the family of God? Do you represent your family well?
- How can you use your gifts and abilities to serve the Body of Christ and show the world what it means to belong to God’s family?
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit rickwarren.org
Connecting with God: The Lord's Prayer - 8 CD Boxed Set and Bonus Music CD: FIRST
The Bible says very clearly that you were created for connections. In this new message series, Connecting with God: The Lord's Prayer, Rick Warren lays out practical steps for you to connect with God and loved ones by examining the Lord’s Prayer. Christianity is not just a belief system; it’s a belong system. Learn how to connect and live the joyful life you were meant to live.
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This devotional © 2016 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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