In the Family

by

Ephesians 3:15 – Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,


            “Once saved always safe” is a good way to describe eternal security. Unfortunately many Christians live in uncertainty and doubt that they are eternally secure. When they sin they either think they never were saved or they lost their salvation. Neither is true, if they are in the family.

            If you believed on Christ by trusting in His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins, then you are born of an incorruptible seed. This seed is “the word of God” (1 Peter 1:23). Our first birth was of a sinful seed; from Adam and our second birth (or new birth) was of God. You might deny who your earthly father is, but there is nothing you can do to be “unborn” from his seed. It is the same way in God’s family. Once you are born again by His seed, you are in the family and nothing can change that.

            We also have an irreversible promise. We are in God’s family not only by birth, but by adoption! He has “predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself” (Eph. 1:5). As an adopted son, you have all rights of a legitimate son and at the same time relinquish all rights and responsibilities of the old family. The Bible is your legal adoption papers proving you are in the family!

            Finally, we have an irresistible proposal of marriage to the Lord Jesus Christ! We have been divorced from the world and the bondage of the law (Rom. 7:4) and are “espoused” to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2) waiting for “the marriage of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:7). Nothing can break that engagement!

            If you are saved then you are a son of God by birth (1 John 3:1, 2), a child of God by adoption (Rom. 8:23) and the bride of Christ by marriage (Eph. 5:22-27). You are going to heaven because you are in the family!