TLP S00-E13: Parenting Blood to Water | blood is never thicker than spiritual water

It's true. We have a very important responsibility to family and the institution of the family was the first one created before the fall. But as with everything else in life, sin destroys and Christ unites.

The Ministry Philosophy of Truth. Love. Parent.

Welcome to Truth. Love. Parent, where we use God's Word to become intentional premeditated Parents. Here's your host A .M. Brewster. Welcome friends. I hope you are having a fantastic day.

I know I am and I'm glad you're joining us today. If you'd like a chance to get to know me and Evermind Ministries better I'd encourage you to go over to evermindministries .com. You can also check us out on social media including Twitter and Facebook Instagram Pinterest, you know all that fun stuff.

I'm really excited as I've been mentioning the past couple weeks. I'm looking forward to having dr Heath Lambert on the show to discuss with us. I'm a truly essential Idea of this concept of what part does counseling play within parenting?

Can parents counsel? Should they counsel? What is Counsel. And I really hope that you will continue to listen and stay tuned for that episode because I'm very excited about it today. Though we're gonna be talking about this old questions old philosophy.

Whether Blood Is Thicker Than Water

Is blood really thicker than water if it is. What does that mean? What does that mean for us today? Is there a difference at all? You know, what should our goal be when it comes to the bond that we have with our kids?

So there are a lot of really important questions today. Let's jump right in. First a little bit about me and my family. I have extended family members who hold the belief that there's no one more important than family.

They are willing to sacrifice as many hours as it takes and suffer a deleterious economic consequences all for family. They're even willing to compromise God's truth to keep quote-unquote peace in the family.

But unfortunately, I'm gonna say that this view of family is is anti biblical. Now now, please understand. I believe the Bible is very clear that family is extremely important. I first of all in Genesis 2 24 We see that it was the very first institution created by God the very first human relationship.

In the same passage. We see it's clear that priority must be given to the spouse and all throughout the Bible significant emphasis is also placed on the weighty Responsibilities parents have to rear their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Understand that I'm not trying to say that family is unimportant as I've shared with you before my wife and I have made life-altering decisions motivated solely by family needs. But the highly revered cultural concept that family is the necessary first.

Christ's Priorities Over Biological Family

Everything is actually frequently downplayed by Christ himself. In Luke 2 48 through 49. We read this his mother said to him son. Why have you treated us this way? Behold your father and I have been anxiously looking for you and he is referring to the boy Jesus said.

Why is it that you've been looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be in my father's house? In John 17 20 through 21 Jesus prays. I do not ask on behalf of these alone referring to his disciples.

But for those also who believe in me through their word that they may all be one. Even as you father are in me and I in you that they may also be in us. So that the world may believe that you sent me.

He also says in Luke 14 26 if anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children. And brothers and sisters. Yes, and even his own life. He cannot be my disciple. Lastly Christ made some stunning comments in Matthew 12 47 through 50.

We're told that someone said to Jesus behold your mother and your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to you but Jesus answered the one who was telling him and said who is my mother and who are my brothers.

And Stretching out his hand toward his disciples. He said behold my mother and my brothers for whoever does the will of my father who's in heaven. He is my brother and sister and mother. It's sure we have very important responsibilities to family and again I want to remind you the institution of the family was the first one created before the fall.

But as with everything else in life sin destroys and Christ unites. Just because someone is blood doesn't necessarily mean they take preeminence over water. Especially when the water that unites us is the living water.

Three Biblical Principles for Family and Spiritual Allegiance

We're gonna take a look at these verses again. I know I went through them pretty quickly, but I want us to break it down see some important things as we go through. We're gonna see three main things first.

We're gonna see how Christ gave priority to the will of his spiritual father even over his physical father. Second we're gonna see that the relationship between believers is described with an intimacy that really rivals marriage.

And lastly in the last two passages, we're gonna see how the physical relationships are almost non-existent. When they're compared to spiritual relationships. All right. So first of all again, I love my family, but there's a bond that ties me closer than shared DNA.

The kinship and oneness I experienced with my brothers and sisters in Christ is far weightier than just mere genetics. For this reason I may have many closer relationships with my brothers and sisters in Christ through his blood than I do with my.

Some of my family members who just reject his truth and say this is the key. Secondly I would argue it's very biblical to defer to family when there's a spiritual command to do so. For example, you first Timothy 5 8 also very biblical to defer to family when the physical family is also the spiritual family.

I mean think about that. When your kids are saved in those cases, you have a very special group of people representing the church. Within the biological family. I mean that is an awesome group a very special group of people.

But we have to keep in mind that such decisions should never be made in non Christ honoring ways. If my sister who is also born again chooses to sinfully divorce her husband. I cannot simply just quote-unquote support her.

Because she's my blood and water. Okay. So lastly here are some ruling principles and we're gonna we're gonna look to the scriptures to get these fleshed out. First of all number one. Everything I say and do must glorify God by aligning with his revealed truth.

The boy Jesus said I must be about my father's business. This was a mantra He repeated over and over and over again throughout his life. My whole purpose on this planet is to glorify God by aligning myself to his revealed truth.

This takes precedent over Family issues if it comes to siding with God or signing with my family members who are siding against God I must side with God. Jesus himself did that. Number two I should have a relationship with my brothers and sisters in Christ that is uniquely more intimate than anyone else.

In his high priestly prayer talking to God the Father Jesus prays that they may be one now in this prayer He's praying for us the people who in the future would would accept him. Follow him due to the testimony of his disciples.

He's praying that they may be one even as we are one. The unity between Christ and his father. And this is very similar to the type of relationship that a husband and wife are supposed to have this one flesh.

Ideas now being taken and applied to the unity between brothers and sisters in Christ. This is Significant. This is uniquely more intimate than the relationship. I'm supposed to have even with my own children.

And the third observation is this. One of my highest goals and yours too should be to help your physical family become your spiritual family as well. Jesus said of the people standing around him whoever does the will of my father who is in heaven He is my brother and sister and mother.

Our Lord obviously loved his mother and loved his siblings but in that moment He showed us that the people who truly were his brothers and sisters were the ones who did the will of his father. Jesus also said later If you love me keep my commandments.

So this understanding this idea can Revolutionize how we relate to our kids and in particular it can relate obviously Revolutionize the way that we relate to everybody. My first priority and I need to understand this as a parent is to the Lord's truth.

My second priority then is helping my family to submit to that truth as well. And because truth is always more important than family I'll never be tempted to overlook the destructive choices in my kids because of the cultural philosophy that just says well I always side with family as Always if you would like some help in in fleshing this out and applying it to your particular family I would encourage you to send us an email at counselor at evermindministries .com.

Closing Encouragement and Contact Information

You can also give us a call at Victory Academy for Boys where we love helping families to grow in God's truth. 715 -759 -5976. And please check us out on social media. You can search evermind ministries on Facebook Pinterest Instagram and Twitter and Also again while you're at Twitter, please stop by and say hi at AM Brewster.

I'm so happy you joined us today. And I hope that this idea of blood and water will help you become a better more intentional premeditated God-glorifying parent in your house.

Truth love Parents is part of the evermind ministries family and is dedicated to helping you become an intentional Premeditated parent. Join us next time as we search God's Word for the truth your family needs today.