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The Christian Family. TEXT: Philippians 2. God’s Word teaches us how we can develop healthy relationships in the family of God. The teaching from God’s Word emphasizes three important truths:. I. The means to healthy relationships.
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TEXT: Philippians 2 • God’s Word teaches us how we can develop healthy relationships in the family of God. The teaching from God’s Word emphasizes three important truths:
I. The means to healthy relationships • A. First, it is important to know that unhealthy (fearful) relationships can continue among Christians (1 Cor 3:1-3) • B. The desire of God is for Christians to learn to develop healthy (loving) relatiionships (Phil 2:3-4) • C. Acceptance and forgiveness will always break down barriers between people (Rom 15:7)
II. The beginning of a healthy relationship • A. Remember that because of sin we may have experienced abandonment (Psalm 27:10). The common forms are: • 1. Physical abandonment – no one was there with us because of absence, abuse, addiction, etc. (2 Sam 14:24) • 2. Mental abandonment – no one was there to answer our questions because of business, “busyness”, etc. (Luke 8:14)
3. Social abandonment – no one was there to show us how to develop healthy relationships with others because of inability from their background (Prov 22:6) • 4. Emotional abandonment – no one was there to listen and to understand us because of carelessness or lack of caring (1 John 4:10) • 5. Spiritual abandonment – no one was there to lead us to God because of sin in their lives (Luke 6:39) • 6. Apparent abandonment – someone was there and cared, but because of the curse of creation we were unable to understand their caring through disability, confusion, or even mental incapacity (John 9:3)
B. Healthy relationships begin with Christian “parents” who provide someone to imitate (1 Cor 4:15-17) (The Scriptural ideal is that physical parents are also spiritual parents (Eph 6) this is your God-given ministry) • C. Spiritual parents provide the care of family members • 1. In the case of the spiritual “mother” it is the first bonding relationship of a Christian where there is progress from the newborn babe to the toddler (1 Thess2:7-9) • 2. In the case of the spiritual “father” it is the day to day discipling and training in the principles of Scripture by teaching and example (1 Thess 2:10-12; Eph 6:4)
III. The development of healthy relationships • A. Spiritual parents carry out much of their ministry in one-to-one interaction (Acts 18:1-3, 24-26) • B. Spiritual parents spend much time with the spiritual children (Mark 3:13-14; Acts 20:20) • C. Spiritual parents help us learn to take root in the love of Christ (Eph 3:17-19; Eph 5:1-2) • D. Spiritual parents show us how to walk in the Spirit and be led by the Spirit (Gal 5:16-18)