Connecting Your Family To God’s Family

New Testament Christians love the New Testament church. It is impossible to love the Head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ, and not love His body, the church. How important is the church? Christ loved it so much that He died for it (Ephesians 5:25). Surely those who follow Him should love the church enough to connect their lives to it!

Sadly, the priority of the church is sorely neglected among so many professing Christians. Hebrews 10:25 says,“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” The most engaged believers ought to be the generation living on the verge of the return of Christ for His church.

Now is the time to connect your family to God’s family. A New Testament church will help to strengthen the home, and a New Testament family will help to strengthen the church. These two God- ordained institutions are to work together to accomplish the divine purpose in our world.

We do not know if Aquila and Priscilla had children, but if they did, you can be sure they were impacted by the place the church held in the lives of their parents. Every time this couple is mentioned in Scripture, it is in the context of the fellowship of believers. In Acts 18, Aquila and Priscilla were a part of the church in Corinth. This same couple is addressed on the closing pages of Paul’s letters to both Corinth and Rome. Notice one common expression in both references:

• “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house” (Romans 16:3-5).
• “The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house” (1 Corinthians 16:19).

The church met in their house! In the first century, this was no small sacrifice. Followers of Christ were despised, and those who were identified with them were often marked for persecution.

Most churches did not have buildings to meet in until the third century, which meant that early believers had to find private homes in which to gather (Colossians 4:15; Philemon 2). Usually, this was the home of a family that was materially blessed enough to have a larger room to meet in. Because this couple was given to Christ, they had no problem giving to the Lord’s work through His church. You don’t allow the church to meet in your house if the church is not already in your heart!

More Than A Church Member

Aquila and Priscilla didn’t just “go to church” - they loved the church, served the church, invested in the church, and were an active part of the church.

The word for the church, ekklesia, means “a called out assembly.” Here is the most basic principle for a church: an assembly must assemble! Fellowship and accountability cannot be accomplished from a distance. The first step for those who belong to a local church is to be there when the church gathers. Your presence will encourage others, build up your faith, and serve as an example for younger believers.

The Christian home is not to be an island unto itself. God made His children to benefit from mutual encouragement and strength. The emphasis of the New Testament is not self-centered but concentrated on the needs of others. Consider just a few of the MANY Scriptures:

“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” - Romans 12:10

“...by love serve one another.” - Galatians 5:13

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” - Ephesians 4:32

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another...even as Christ forgave you...”- Colossians 3:13

“...edify one another...” - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day...” - Hebrews 3:13

“...see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:” - 1 Peter 1:22

“...love one another...” - 1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11, 12

We should apply these“one another” principles first in our homes and then in the context of the church family. As we minister to one another, God will strengthen our own marriages and families.

Not everyone can fulfill the same purpose in a local assembly, but every believer has a purpose to fulfill (1 Corinthians 12). There is nothing more beautiful than seeing a family serving the Lord together, and there is not a more beautiful picture of this than Aquila and Priscilla.

New Testament Christians should build New Testament marriages and belong to New Testament churches.