Young People's Group

Developing a Good Regard for Each Other in the Church Family

by Mitchell Tan
February 10, 2017

THE BASIS OF RELATING IN THE CHURCH FAMILY

When someone says to you that “We are all part of the family of God,” what would be your response? I know what my response would be. The first question I will raise is whether that person is doing the will of God. Today, the concept of belonging to the family of God is so watered down that anybody who simply claims that he is a Christian is readily regarded as part of it. This was not the case with Paul as he wrote his first epistle to Timothy. Paul had written from chapter 1 to 4 about “these things” that Timothy was meant to know well and practise. He challenged Timothy to be an example to the believers (1 Timothy 4:12), to meditate on the principles and truth taught by Paul and to give himself to them. Only then did Paul proceeded to deal with relating with each other as a Church family (1 Timothy 5:1). He taught how there must be a right regard for the family of God. But this must not be done without a basis. It has to be done in the light of the teachings from the word of God.

THE LORD’S TEACHING ON TREATING GOD’S PEOPLE AS FAMILY

“For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 12:50

This was a concept that the Lord Jesus had taught while on this earth. He was re-defining the idea of family. He taught how it was not just having a physical family but it included a greater entity called the spiritual family. Who were the Lord’s mother and brothers? The Lord Jesus stretched out His hand to those who were His disciples (Matthew 12:49). Those who had truly followed Him were considered part of His family. These were the ones who had faith in God as Father, loved Him and continuously sought to do His will. The Lord’s basis of truly belonging is doing the will of the Father in heaven.

LEARNING TO REGARD EACH OTHER APPROPRIATELY

“Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger man as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.”
1 Timothy 5:1-2

Paul applied this idea of the spiritual family with reference to how we should relate to each other.

1. LEARNING TO GIVE PROPER HONOUR WHERE HONOUR IS DUE

We are not meant to rebuke sharply older people with disrespect. We should honour them at all times as we relate to them, even at times, if need be, when the pastor corrects them.

2. LEARNING TO EXHORT EACH OTHER AS A FAMILY WITH THE TRUTHS FROM GOD’S WORD

The word “exhort” has the idea of coming alongside a person and to encourage him. When we relate to each other as family, let’s seek to encourage each other.

3. LEARNING TO RELATE WITH ALL PURITY

We should also relate to each other with a purity of heart; a heart that has been cleansed by the word (1 Timothy 1:5) and a heart that shows sincere love for each other.

The YPG 1, 2 and 3 will commencing their respective ministries this coming Saturday. Let’s take time to come that we may learn the will of God from the Scriptures. Let’s seek to know them well. Let’s seek to practise the kind of proper regard we should have for each other as a family of God.

Back to Article Listing