The family of God is those born into His family by faith

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There is only one race, the human race, according to the Bible. The concept of different races is an evolutionary concept. All people have descended from Adam and Eve, who were creations of God. Acts 17:26 says, "And (God) hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth." The word translated "nations" is the Greek word "ethnos," from which we get our English word "ethnic." It refers to people groups or tribes, not to geographical boundaries that we often think of when we hear the word nation. But all these different ethnic groups are descendants of one set of parents, thus we are all of "one blood." Therefore, from the human standpoint, all people are brothers and sisters. From the spiritual standpoint, this is not true. We are only spiritual brothers and sisters when God our Creator becomes God our Father. This happens when one is born into His family. Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." The physical birth happens as a result of God creating us in the womb. The spiritual birth happens when a person is born again by receiving Jesus as his savior and God. Only those who are Christians are children of God. Christianity is the only "God-approved" religion. All other religions are manmade and lead to hell. Acts 4:12 says, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

We do see two general people groups in the Bible: Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews, sometimes called Greeks). The Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." The word "Christ" is the Greek word that is equivalent to the Hebrew word "Messiah." They both mean "the anointed one." Jesus Christ is the only Messiah, the only savior the only one anointed of God to provide salvation for Jews and Gentiles. Once a person accepts Christ as savior, he becomes a part of the one true church, the universal body of all who are saved by Christ. Galatians 3:28 says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

Just as all people in the world are one race, God makes all Christians (that is, born-again believers in Jesus) of all ethnic groups one in Christ. God's desire is unity, but Satan is constantly at work to divide and conquer. Jesus prayed for unity in John 17:21-22: "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one." Just as Jesus is one with the Father, He wants us to be united as one body. Sure, there are some differences of brothers and sisters of other denominations, just as there are differences of literal brothers and sisters, but they are still one family. There is only one family of God, and that family is made up of those who are born into God's family by faith in Jesus Christ. Is God your Father? What an endearing relationship we can have with God our creator that He can also be God our Father.

RON DAVIS

Pastor, Sumter Bible Church

Administrator, Sumter Christian School