Why spiritual heritage is more important than a physical family tree

By Dean Collins

Over the last couple of decades there has been a growing fascination and interest in knowing one’s family history. Websites like Ancestry and 23andMe do everything from track old records to taking a DNA sample so you can discover who you are related to in the world at any given moment.

Insiders and Outsiders

But what about your spiritual history? Writing to a predominantly non-Jewish congregation in Ephesus, Paul did some connecting of the dots for the believers. All through the early history of the church there was a tension between the Jewish believers and the non-Jewish believers. Some of this tension grew to the point of hostility. And much of the problem had to do with the same sort of tension and even hostilities we experience today: Who’s in and who’s out? We spend a lot of time and money on creating and maintaining places and organization where we are the insiders and others are not welcomed.

We spend a lot of time and money on creating and maintaining places and organization where we are the insiders and others are not welcomed.

The Jewish believers knew their ancient history all the way back to Abraham and were proud to be known as God’s chosen. They also knew the rules, both the commandments from God and the traditions they had adopted. They often had difficulty separating the two. Paul explained to the gentile believers that they once weren’t a part of the group. They were the outsiders, but now Jesus had broken down the barriers and reconciled everyone to himself and to each other through the cross. Being a part of the family of God was now possible for anyone and everyone who accepted Jesus as God’s Son and their Lord.

Paul was very specific that those who were once insiders (Jews) and outsiders (Gentiles) were now one family, one body, one faith, and one church. Through Christ the walls of hostility between these two groups and all groups are torn down. God’s purpose in Christ is to break down all of the barriers so that his family might become one. The Jewish law was not capable of uniting all of God’s children. There has never been any law that can destroy the barriers that separate us. The only path to unity is in and by the peace of Christ available through God’s grace.

A new community

Just as Paul explained to the Jewish and Gentile Christians, he speaks to us today. We all have access to the father through Christ. And in Christ we cannot remain strangers or treat each other as aliens. Once we come to Jesus we become citizens of a new community in the body of Christ, the church.

We don’t need to write rules to create a platform. We do need to accept that Jesus is the foundation of our faith and of our practices. The one group that can and should be showing the world how to live authentically and lovingly is the body of Christ. No club, no political party, no racial group, and no law can do that. Only Jesus can unite and make whole what was broken by the sin of mankind.

It might be helpful to know your ancestry. But what is more important is knowing your brothers and sisters in Christ today. Together we can show the world how the baby born in a manger really has changed everything for all time.

It really was a holy night that changed the world. But today we must accept that it is our privilege and our responsibility to live as the holy people of God, demonstrating to the world how Jesus is our peace who breaks down every barrier that separates us.

Click this link to listen to Carrie Underwood sing “O Holy Night” as you consider how to share Christ’s peace with someone today.

Your time with God’s Word
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:13-22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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