Faith and the Flesh

"While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother" (Mat. 12:46-50). Someone could read this passage and think that Jesus wasn't much of a 'family man,' if they chose to see it that way. But I rather doubt that anyone would venture forth with such an assertion about him, or at least anyone with any faith or sense. But I wonder how many people really have a clue as to what he was saying, and how it applies to true followers of Jesus today. It's really very simple. It's exactly like he said, or at least for those who "love the Lord [their] God with all [their] heart, and with all [their] soul, and with all [their] strength, and with all [their] mind; and [their] neighbour as [their self]" (Lk. 10;27). The truth is that Jesus is the ULTIMATE family man, but his family is made up of those, whom like he said, "do the will of [his] Father which is in heaven." It's the natural thing for carnal people to feel closer to their natural families; and likewise it is the natural thing for those who are of the family of God to feel closer to those who are doing the will of God by following the leading of his Spirit in their lives. As it is written: "For as many as are LED by the Spirit of God, THEY are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Rom. 8:14-16). If we have truly been born again by being baptized with the holy Ghost by Jesus, we should naturally draw close to those who have the same experience and are continuing in it (I Cor. 12:13; II Cor. 5:17). That is unless we are not following the commandment to "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1,4; Gal. 5:16). If we are in Christ but have chosen to walk after the flesh more than the Spirit, then we will again feel closer to people who likewise are walking after the flesh.

The fact of the matter is that it is an UNNATURAL thing for a child of God to be closer to their natural family than to their spiritual family in Christ, unless of course their natural family is IN Christ and following hard after the Spirit. In fact it is certain that ANYONE who is abiding in Christ will feel that their real family are those who are truly following after God's Spirit and his will, because THAT IS THE WAY JESUS FEELS! I'm not making that up my friend, as you may note that is where we began with our text scripture passage. We're actually talking here about the old unbreakable rule of "birds of a feather flock together." There's no way around it, everyone draws close to those who are of a kindred spirit with them, whether it be of God, or of this world (I Jn. 4:5,6). Not only so, but even within the body of Christ there also exists the malady of those who are not truly following God's Spirit walking with those who also are not being led by the Spirit. In fact if you are going to be led by the Spirit of God in all things, you will have to do it outside the confines of every single Christian affiliation that exists, including the Pentecostal ranks; because there are none that are founded on that principle. Period. If you are going to be the true friend and family of Jesus, you will have to do it on the terms that he himself stated: "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets (Lk. 6:22,23). Who did these things to the prophets of old? God's people to whom they were sent, and among whom they were. If we don't find ourselves in that company, then we WILL find ourselves in this company: "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets" (Lk. 6:26). And by whom were the false prophets spoken well of? God's people who they were among.

Maybe since we're living in 2013 things have changed now. Hold on a minute, and let's hear what Jesus said about things changing: "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?" (Mat. 10:24,25). So then it isn't just a matter of feeling closer to God's people, but rather of drawing nigh to those AMONG God's people who are truly following his Spirit wholly, and demonstrating the love thereof without partiality. That is who is family to Jesus, and that is who is family to those who ARE family to Jesus. It's easy math really, though certainly a very hard pill to swallow for those who are not being seriously real with God, and adhering to the evident truth of the matter. So ask yourself, who is it that you truly see as your family? Amos called it like it is when he said, "Can two [or more] walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3). So did Solomon: "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed" (Prov. 13:20). I suppose that if anyone else has created you and the world you live in, died for your sins, filled you with divine life from heaven, and given you the opportunity to inherit immortality and eternal life; then they're probably worthy of being closer family to you than Jesus and those who he truly calls family. But if that isn't the case then it sure makes a lot of sense to me for Jesus to have made statements like this: "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Mat. 10:37). And this one too: "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple" (Lk. 14:26). To "hate" these is to say to prefer Jesus over all of these. All I can say is that Jesus is worthy of all of these things and more to me, and my family are those who feel likewise and demonstrate that in their lives. Amen.