A Place to Belong ~ Day 17 ~ Part 2

"You are members of God's very own family,

citizens of God's country, and you belong in

God's household with every other Christian."

                                                               Ephesians 2:19b

Tuesday, our lesson was on belonging to God's family. The Bible tells us that a Christian without a church is an unnatural state. If you don't have a church, get one. The Bible says, "You belong in God's household with every other Christian" (Ephesians 2:19b). Our church gives us an identity, accountability, and commitment.

Why You Need a Church Family

A church family identifies you as a genuine believer. Jesus said, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples" (John 13:35). When we stand together in our church, we show the world the strength of His body, for when we are together we are His body (1 Corinthians 12:27).


A church family moves us out of self – centered isolation. Our church is a place where we can learn to be unselfish and to practice love for each other. "If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is honored, all the other parts share this honor" (1 Corinthians 12:26). Only when we are in regular contact with imperfect believers, can we learn to depend on one another as the New Testament tells us to do (Ephesians 4:16; Romans 12:4 – 5; Colossians 2:19; 1 Corinthians 12:25). We are expected by God to show a sacrificial love for one another.  This is stated in 1 John 3:16: "Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."

A church family helps you develop spiritual muscle. We need to participate fully in our church. This will help us to grow spiritually. The Bible says, "As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love" (Ephesians 4:16b). The Bible tells us to love one another, to pray for each other, encourage and admonish each other, greet each other, serve and teach each other, except and honor each other, forgive each other, bear one another's burdens, submit to each other, to be devoted to each other. Are you getting the message? We need to think of each other before we think of ourselves; to love one another as we love Jesus. The only way that we learn to do this is by attending and participating in our church. Only then are we accountable to each other.

This is the end of part two of this lesson. The final part will be posted tomorrow. Have a blessed day.