Because we are adopted into the family of God, we Christians (Followers of Christ) sometimes find it difficult to understand this, “ “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to turn a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Anyone finding his life will lose it, and anyone losing his life because of Me will find it.” Matthew 10:32-39. HCSB

What, then is the concept of family found in the Word of God? Jesus absolutely removed what it meant to be part of a family: “Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.” But He replied to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven, that person is My brother and sister and mother.”

We must understand that Jesus is not saying our biological families are not important. He is making a point that in the Kingdom of Heaven, the most important family connection is spiritual, not physical.  John writes, “He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. But to all who have received him, those who believe in His name, He has given the right to become God’s children, children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.” John 1:11-13.

We are born first into a physical family, yes, but when we are “born again,” we are born into a spiritual family. Paul tells us we are adopted into God’s family, Romans 8:12-16. God becomes our Father and Jesus our Brother. This spiritual family is not bound by ethnicity, gender or social standing just as the Apostle writes in Galations 3:25-29, “But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment. There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.”

Our physical family is the most important foundation in society, and should be nurtured and protected. However the more important is the new creation that God is makes in Christ made up of all people who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.

The foremost characteristic of the Christian family is love for one another: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” John 12:35. 

Jesus is Our Lord.