The senses of our bodies are one- or two-dimensional; we perceive only what is in front of us at the moment. The brain is really only one-dimensional because we can only have one thought at a time. Because of this, our ideas, concepts, and philosophies are severely limited. Our brains cannot conceive of anything that it has not experienced. We are really, really limited, even handicapped by our own perceptions.
One consequence of this is to limit our relationships of family. Our worldly concept of family is a mother, father and their children. This is a very fixed idea from childhood that doesn't allow for substitutes. We even have to work up to the concept of adoption, and we accept that as a second-class "family." Those who have children who are adopted know the difference. Children who are adopted also feel the difference. Step-parents, step-children, or step-siblings are also second-class. I feel that this is very short-sighted, and the true concept of family is not at all that narrow. One passage of Scripture may help illustrate. Jesus is speaking to a group of disciples:
"While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." (Matthew 12:46-50)
The key to all of life is choice. Our ability to choose is the single most important foundation upon which all life is based. Without choice there is no life because there is no difference, all is the same, which is nothing. Our next-door neighbor had a birthday last week, and his son, Max, wrote him a birthday card saying, in essence: "If you weren't my dad, I would search until I found you..." Did we choose our families? Were we given the choice of a mother and father? Some people think not, and are angry that they were "sent" to a family that didn't care for them. Max, on the other hand, said he would choose his father all over again. Perhaps we didn't choose to be born into a family, but as we go through life we choose our fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers.
A father is a man who engenders life in another. Life is growth, so, anyone who helps us to grow is our parent. Once we are grown enough to make these choices, we begin choosing our family. Those we associate with are our brothers and sisters. Those who help us to grow are our mothers and fathers.
Anyone who would like to be a father simply needs to grow up and help others to do the same. Becoming a mentor, teacher, writer, speaker, or in any way giving information to help others to grow makes us worthy to be a father to another. The human tendency to push others to be better doesn't work; only by helping others to come to where we are can we become a father or mother to them. They may go beyond us, but in order to do it they will need to find another parent to teach them how.
Thus, the true concept of family is very different than a mother, a father, and their children. In the Eternal sense, we have the fathers we choose. Jesus explained this to the Pharisees:
"They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:39-44)
In other words, those born physically into the family of Abraham are not his children, but rather those who follow him, who do as he did. If God were their father they would do as He does and love Jesus. Jesus then tells them who their father really is, the one they follow. This is true of all fathers -- birth is not the issue. All of those we follow are our fathers. If we choose to follow people who are destructive then these are our fathers. On the other hand, if we choose to follow Jesus Christ, or any of His disciples, then these are our fathers -- all of them.
The Eternal concept of family, then, is bringing others to God. When we are all with God, our associations as parents and siblings have a hierarchy. Those who help the most people come to know God, and return to His presence have the greatest glory, indeed, they are at the top. The holy prophets whose writings we use to come to know our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, are fathers to many. Each of us can choose to be great and have glory by helping others come to know God.
Ultimately, Jesus Christ is a Father to all because it is only through Him that we can have life in every way, both immortality and Eternal Life. The first is given in spite of our choices so He is the Father of every resurrected, perfect, immortal body -- we will all follow Him into death and resurrection. The second, however, is a gift only to those who choose to accept it. For these, Christ is the Father of their Eternal family. Not everyone will follow Him to Heaven because we all have choice, and some choose other fathers of their eternal existence. He is the Father of all the Earth, every person ever born to the family of Adam, making Him the greatest of all. He is also necessarily the Father of all those who choose Him, making Him the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, the Servant of all.
The true concept of family in Heaven, then, is based on a choice each makes to come to God. Those who bring others to know the choice is possible, as well as those who help others to make choices, and keep covenants are the fathers and mothers, while those who end up in the same place by making the same choices are brothers and sisters.
Our "reward" in Heaven may be the people we bring to God. We are building our mansions in Heaven by helping others come to know God in any way. The more followers, or children, we engender spiritually, the larger our "house" will be. The real work of life, then, is to come to know God ourselves by choosing "parents" who know God, and then to assist as many people as we can to do the same by becoming a mentor or teacher to them. This is the process of building our Eternal family.
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