Catechism: The FamilySample

When you think about God, what pictures fill your mind? Do you visualize a king on a throne? A judge sitting above a courtroom? While those pictures are reflections of who God is, the main visual we see of God throughout the New Testament is that of a loving Father. His posture toward us isn’t like someone with crossed arms or a pointed finger; it’s more like His arms are spread wide, waiting to wrap His children in a loving embrace. When you choose to follow Jesus, God welcomes you into His family. God calls Himself our Heavenly F ather. A t the moment of belief, we are adopted as children into His family. We become heirs with Christ in God’s Kingdom, and we gain a new family of fellow believers: our brothers and sisters in Christ. That family of God is the church! Church is a physical place, but THE church is the people of God who are expressing what it means to belong to Jesus, to walk with Him, and to share Him with the world. Following Jesus means taking your place in this forever family! Read: Romans 8:14-17 Reflection Questions: 1. Have you thought of God as a loving Father before? How is this different from the view you or our culture has had of God? Does thinking of yourself as God’s child change how you view yourself? 2. When we follow Jesus, we don’t just gain a place to go on Sundays, but also actual brothers and sisters, a new family. Has this been your experience? Why or why not?