MY FATHER? MY MOTHER? MY SISTER? MY BROTHER?

MY GRANDMOTHER? MY UNCLE? THOSE THAT LIVE IN MY HOUSE?

THOSE THAT ARE RELATED TO ME BY BLOOD?--MARRIAGE?

WHO IS MY FAMILY?




I believe that most people would at least agree on Father-Mother
-Sister-Brother. At this point it doesn't really matter who
else we include, so let's just look at the scripture and see
what God has to say about "Who is My Family".

First I would like to establish a few truths that many
Christians seem to have trouble accepting.

As a Christian, I am a peculiar (strange) person
in the eyes of this world. (1 Peter 2:9)
As a Christian I cannot be concerned about what
the people of this world think about me or my
beliefs. My only concern is what does God think
about me and my beliefs.
As a Christian, I cannot say or do things only to
please (pacify) people, I must do-be-say-understand
what God says without regard of this world.
(Jn14:31)
In other words, I am called to live in this world as
an example of Christ, but I am not to be a partaker
of this world.


This world has a very different view of "Who is My
Family" than God has. I believe that it is time for the
Christian commununity to have a proper scriptural understanding
of who God considers to be our family. This book is not for
everyone, because it written to give a very different view of
"the family", God's view. But, the true believer in The Most
High God will welcome this scriptural study of who God
considers to be "My Family".

As you should already know and understand, "The Family"
is the most important unit of people in God's eye. Since "The
Family" is the key unit in God's sight, then it follows that we
should have a full and complete understanding of what "The
Family" is as God sees it. Please approach this study with prayer
and openness to The Spirit of God. Every point that is
addressed will be backed up with scriptures taken in proper
context, (please read prior and following scripture to
understand context), as this study is written to show what the
scriptures say, not to express the personal views of this
writer. Remember, we are going to look at the scriptures as
Christians, citizens of another world, which we are. Having been
“born again, into the family of God.” So, "Who
is My Family" depends on what is my country and who is MY King.
MY KING is JESUS CHRIST OF NAZERETH, SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD,
and MY citizenship lies in the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. SO, if YOU
are a fellow citizen (brother or sister) of this heavenly
kingdom, come with me as we find out who OUR FAMILY really is.


CHAPTER 1 FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

FAMILY:
Let's first look at the prime words used for family.
in Hebrew we have "bayith", which means house -
household and "mishpachah" which means circle of
relatives or tribe or a people.
In the Greek we have "oikos", meaning dwelling-household
-family and the various forms of "patria, meaning family
-kindred-lineage.
So from these descriptions we can see that
"family" means those related by household and/or lineage.
Then let us now look at the individual relationships commonly
considered to be family, in the light of our citizenship in the
heavenly kingdom.

FATHER:
The prime Hebrew word is "ab" (awb) which means chief
forefather - principal in patrimony.
The prime Greek word is "pater", meaning father -
parent-ancestor-source-inventor.

From this we can see that our father is our
principal ancestor, our source, the one responsible for our
being alive (in the natural)..

MOTHER:
The prime Hebrew word is "em" (ame), meaning dam -
mother - bond of the family.
The prime Greek word is "meter", meaning mother, a
female parent,a female who holds a position similar
to a mother, to give birth to, to create - produce.
In other words, a mother is one who gives birth
to, creates or other wise assumes the role of mother to me.

BROTHER:
The prime Hebrew word is "ach" (awich), meaning
relationship, affinity,resemblance,kindred, a
male relative.
The prime Greek word is "adelphos", meaning from the
womb, a brother near or remote.
Brother = a male having the same parents or ONE PARENT
IN COMMON with another. One who shares a common
ancestry with another, a kinsman.
So we find that a brother is a male person who
has one or more parents that are also my parents.

SISTER:
The Hebrew "achowth" (aw khoth), is the feminine form
of "ach", therefore a female brother.
The Greek "adelphe", is the feminine form of "adelphos",
sister, therefore female brother.
So then, a sister is a female person that shares
a common parent or parents with me. A female brother.

HUSBAND:
In the Hebrew "iyah" (eesh), meaning a male person, a
certain man as an individual, husband. Also "baal",
master, have dominion over, husband, married.
In the Greek "aner", a man, as individual, married,
husband.
A husband then is a married man with a wife, over
whom he has dominion and authority.

WIFE:
In the Hebrew "ishshah", feminine of "iyah", a married
female person, wife.
In the Greek "gune", a woman, specifically a wife.
"gueaikeios", wife. "hupandrus",a married woman in
subjection under a man.
A wife then is a married woman,who is in
subjection to her husband.

SON:
The prime Hebrew "ben" (bane), means a son, a male
child, including grandsons.
The Greek "huios", means son, legitimate son,
relationship of offspring to parents without regard
to sex. also "teknon" meaning child son or daughter.
A son then is a legitimate ( lawful,
authentic, genuine) male offspring. Can also be a female.

DAUGHTER:
In the Hebrew "bath" which is feminine form of "ben",
thus a female son.
In the greek "thugater", a female chid or a female
son. also "teknon".
So a female son or offspring is a daughter.


Next we need to look into the other common relationships that
are usually included in the family circle.

Uncle:
In the Hebrew "dowd" or "dod", means uncle, father's
brother. Appears only 10 times in the old testament
and not at all in the new testament.

Aunt:
In the Hebrew "dowdah" (dodaw), the feminine of uncle.
father's sister, uncle's wife. Appears only once in
the bible.

Grandfather:
Does not appear in the Bible. In common usage refers
father's father, or mother's father.

Grandmother:
Appears in Greek only (2 Tim 1:5) "mamme" meaning a
grandmother. Only appears once in the Bible.

Cousin:
Only in the Greek, "suggenes", a relative by
blood,kinsfolk - kinsman. Appears only once in
the Bible (Luke 1:36).

Nephew:
In the Hebrew "neked", offspring, son's son, nephew.
In the Greek "ekgonon", a descendant,nephew,
grandchild. Appears only four times in the Bible.

Niece:
Does not appear in the Bible. In common usage usually
refers to a female nephew.

Now that we have defined the most common elements of the
family, it is time to look to scripture in regard to who is
my family in this Heavenly Kingdom to which I belong.
Since God is our creator, and that is one of the
definitions of father, lets look at the father first. We all,
have a father, and there are three fathers listed in the
scriptures. Let's look at the three choices.

The natural, flesh and blood father. Luke9:59 and
others refer to the flesh and blood father.
The devil. John8:44 (you belong to your father the
devil) and other verses refer to the devil as a
father.
GOD. II Cor.6:18 (I will be a father to you and you
will be my sons and daughters) and many other verses
refer to God as father.


Of course we are interested in the spiritual aspect of family.
Who is YOUR father? The scriptures say to call no man father,
so if we are citizens of God's kingdom, then God must be our
father. If He is not then we are not citizens of His kingdom,
we are not Christians,we are some one else's son. Whose son are
you?
There is no scriptural reference to mother, uncle, cousin,
grandmother, grandfather or any of the natural relationships we
usually think of when we think of family. The only spiritual
relationships mentioned in scripture are Father, son (male and
female) and brother(male and female). Jesus is the firstborn of
MANY brethren, the first born son, we are His brothers (male and
female). If you are a born again Christian then your are my
brother (male or female). You are also His brother. You are
also God's son. These are the only relationships that will be
in the kingdom of God. Unfortunately many natural mothers,
fathers, sisters, brothers, cousins, uncles etc have not or will
not make the transition to the heavenly kingdom and therefore
will not be related to us. These are not my thoughts, these are
the teachings of Holy scripture. We must do everything in our
power to help those who are dear to us make the transition to the
heavenly kingdom so that we can be related to them in a much
higher order or we will have no relationship to them in the world
to come.


Charles LaFoe