Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are

"Preach The Word"

In The Family

Text: 1 Jn. 3:1-3

Introduction:

Those who are saved are "Sons of God", because we pray, "Our Father, which are in heaven."

See Gal. 4:5 and 1 Jn. 3:2.

Three things at least emerge from 1 Jn. 3:2:

1. We were not always Sons of God- "Now are we"

2. You do not become Sons of God in eternity- "Now we are"

3. It is possible to become a Son of God because of Sovereign Grace and love.

We are going to look at several things about this being in the family, what it means and what is involved in being a part of it.

I. THE FAMILY CIRCLE

A. A Distinction Is To Be Observed
There is a difference between the Son and the sons. Christ is in a unique sense the Son of God, but believers are still the Sons of God.

In Jn.20:17 Jesus said, "I ascend unto my Father and your Father."

B. A Change Is To Be Experienced

Compare Gal. 4:5 with Eph. 1:5.

Jesus said, "Ye must be born again."

See Jn. 1:12.

There are evidences in your life when you are saved:

Love for the brethren----following the Bible---not practicing sinning- overcoming the world.

See Gal. 3:26

C. An Identification To Be Revered
Never be ashamed that you are a part of the family of God. We should glory and rejoice in the privilege. Don’t mar the family image.

II. THE FAMILY LIKENESS
There are common characteristics among members of a family.

There are family resemblance's. Those similarities may involved color of hair, eyes, nose shape, or some other facial structure.

A. The Perfect Likeness

See I Jn. 3:2. One look at Jesus in eternity will produce that perfect likeness that we desire. There is no place called "purgatory" where a person temporarily under-goes suffering to purify a person and perfect him for heaven.

B. The Progressive Likeness

See 1 Jn. 3:3. "Purifieth himself even as he is pure."

"Purifieth"= a present tense word in Grk. NT. We are to go on and on purifying ourselves until the day of our coming perfect likeness. God does the work gradually as we submit and surrender to Christ.

Are you bearing the characteristics you should as members of God’s family?

III. FAMILY BUSINESS
God’s work is the greatest in the world because it presents the most valuable goods, pays the greatest dividends, and brings every member of the family into partnership.

"No trouble is too great to take for a human soul."

A. Taking Up The Business

We are not alone--others are engaged in it. It took many to bring us to God (praying mother or dad, Sunday School teacher, godly friend, faithful pastor, maybe a Christian witness who spoke to us one on one about the Lord Jesus Christ.,

Some partners have gone to sleep on the job and need awakening out of sleep.

See 1 Cor. 3:9. It is not so much that we are "working for God" but that we are "working with God."

B. Winding Up The Business

See Lk. 19:13- "Occupy till I come." Keep on keeping on until the "Head" of the business gets here. When He comes, the Lord will examine the accounts and pay his employees. Jesus said, "My reward is with me.":

What are you putting into the family business--time,money, energies, prayers and talents?

IV. FAMILY RESOURCES
We belong to a wealthy spiritual family. God’s children are not paupers. We are rich in "unseen" things. Our Father is a King.

What do we have in the line of resources? To name a few:

Rom. 2:4 The riches of His goodness

Eph. 1:7 The riches of His grace

Eph. 1:18 The riches of inheritance

Eph. 3:8 The unsearchable riches of Christ.

Eph. 3:16 The riches of His glory.

Col. 2:2 The riches of full assurance.

We have the resources to be what we ought to be.

See 1 Cor. 15:10.

Man made religions tell us what we ought to do, and what we ought to be, but none of them tell us HOW to be what we ought to be and to do what we ought to do.

Our power is in a person (Acts 1:8).

V. THE FAMILY AFFECTION
See Gal. 6:10. He speaks there of doing good to the household of faith. We should do good unto all men but especially to those who are in the household of faith.

Family affection is a sign of the reality of our faith.

A. By It We Personally Know

See 1 Jn. 3:14. Do you love those who love God?

B. By It The World Knows See Jn. 13:35
How does the world know our faith is real? Not by what we profess or by our simply going to church, but by our love.
See 1 Jn. 4:19.

CONCLUSION:
Are you in the family of God? If so, you were born into it through saving faith in the Son of God. Do you desire to fulfill your place in the family? Do you appreciate your family? Do you want others in the family?

SERMON FROM DR. TOM WALKER- ZION HILL BAPTIST- MARION, NC --USA

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