When a person receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, they become part of a new family — the family of God. The Scriptures often refer to Christians using family terminology. For example:
Matthew 6:14 tells us that God is our “heavenly Father.”
II Corinthians 6:18 refers to Christians as the “sons and daughters” of God.
Ephesians 2:19 states that believers are now “of the household [family] of God.”
James 2:15 refers to another Christian as a “brother or sister.”
These are just a few references to show you that God chose to use this terminology to illustrate the kind of relationship He wanted us to have with other believers.
We ought to have a deep, undying love for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Just as earthly brothers and sisters occasionally argue and fuss with each other, Christian brothers and sisters have a tendency to fight and disagree with each other also. But, even if we disagree with another Christian, we are still supposed to love them!
Love is much more than an emotion or feeling; it is an action word. We demonstrate our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ by our actions. I John 3:18-19 tells us, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.”
What do your actions say about your love for the family of God? Do they tell others that you truly love your brother or sister in Christ, or do your actions cause others to question if you are even a Christian?
We should “love one another with a pure heart fervently” (I Peter 1:22b). Jesus Himself said that our Christ-like love for one another would be the distinguishing mark that tells others we belong to Him (John 13:34-35).
So how do we show that we love our Christian family members? We can call or visit the shut-ins, contact the church absentees, reach out to the visitors, encourage those who are going through trials, pray for the sick, and lift up the fallen. These are just a few ways that we can show our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
The chorus we sometimes sing in church says it so well:
“You’re my brother, you’re my sister, so take me by the hand,
Together we will work until He comes.
There’s no foe that can defeat us, when we’re walking side by side,
As long as there is love, we will stand.”