Família de Deus: o que é e como fazemos parte dela
A família de Deus é a comunidade de todas as pessoas reconciliadas com o Pai pela fé em Jesus Cristo. Essa ligação não depende de sangue, linhagem biológica ou instituição terrena: quem crê é adotado como filho de Deus e se torna, espiritualmente, irmão de outros crentes.
Filhos por adoção: como se entra na família de Deus
No mundo greco-romano do primeiro século, a adoção legal concedia ao filho adotado exatamente os mesmos direitos, nome e herança de um descendente biológico. O Novo Testamento utiliza essa mesma figura jurídica para explicar a conversão: quem confia em Cristo deixa a condição de estranho e passa a ter acesso direto ao Pai, tornando-se co-herdeiro com o Filho.
But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.(John 1:12,13)
having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved.(Ephesians 1:5,6)
For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.(Romans 8:15-17)
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as children. And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba, Father!" So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.(Galatians 4:4-7)
For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.(Galatians 3:26-28)
For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,(Ephesians 3:14,15)
O que Jesus ensinou sobre os laços espirituais
Em seu ministério terreno, Jesus redefiniu as prioridades de lealdade e parentesco. Quando avisado de que sua mãe e seus irmãos de sangue o procuravam do lado de fora, ele apontou para os discípulos ao redor, ensinando que o vínculo gerado pela obediência à vontade de Deus supera as fronteiras familiares terrenas.
He answered them, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother."(Mark 3:33-35)
A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever. (John 8:35)
Therefore Jesus said to them, "If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me. (John 8:42)
See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him. Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him just as he is.(1 John 3:1,2)
Como a família de Deus vive em comunhão
Ser da família de Deus não é uma ideia abstrata; ganha forma no convívio concreto da igreja local. Por isso, as cartas apostólicas tratam os irmãos de fé com vocabulário doméstico: membros de um mesmo corpo, pedras do mesmo edifício e participantes do mesmo cuidado mútuo, tanto na celebração quanto na dor e na disciplina paternal de Deus.
So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.(Ephesians 2:19-22)
so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another,(Romans 12:5)
When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. When one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.(1 Corinthians 12:26)
Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brothers; the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.(1 Timothy 5:1,2)
So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.(Galatians 6:10)
not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.(Hebrews 10:25)
It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then you are illegitimate, and not children. Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days disciplined us as seemed good to them, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.(Hebrews 12:7-10)
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