Relay Sonship

‘According to David Barrett et al, editors of the "World Christian Encyclopedia: A comparative survey of churches and religions - AD 30 to 2200," there are 19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups, and many smaller ones…in the world’.

I love the standpoint of basic ‘Following Christ’ Christianity as not being a religion but a relationship.
One of the joys of my life is that I grew up with a ‘Very Best Friend’, Marc. And one notable part of growing up with Marc was that he and his family were’nt rich but they were well off (and when you’re poor, anything other than poor is rich…..trust me). But as Marc and I obviously grew more fond of each other, there was a time when Marc’s parents pretty much allowed me to call them ‘Mom & Dad’. I didn’t have to ask to get something from the fridge and they would invlolve my in they’re plans the same as if I were really part of the family. When they renovated the garage to become Marc’s room, they put in two beds, one for me. And appropriately enough, I even experienced discipline. I had been somewhat adopted.
Here’s the Word:
Romans 8:14 – 18 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Our Heavenly Father is Sovereign over the vastness of the universe all the way down to the affairs and thoughts of men, and He’s not interested in in being the Master of slaves. He’s the family type. He’s about relaying sonship. Mature believers, In addition to conveying the truth of the gospel to the lost, need to relay the message of sonship in Gods’s Family because many Christians still tend to have a white knuckle grip on the things of this life and seem to think that one of the goals of living the Christian life is to become suffer-proof. Suffering is not only part of the process, it’s the nature of the struggle. We exist in a world system where Satan is the prince of the power of the air. C’mon, you gotta expect some suffering.

Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me