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What does the Bible have to say about Family, Friends, Fellowship, Fun, Food & Feasts? Note:- This article is in process, please revisit. Todays church and prayer meetings are social gatherings with potluck dinner, feasting, fun and games. Instead of focusing on the spiritual food and fellowship in Christ, we try to improve relationships with people and give attention to food and fun. Here is what the Bible has to say about:- Family Friends & Fellowship Food & Feast Fun FAMILY:- Ministry begins at home Our family is a gift from God. And with this family we will together serve the Lord (Josh 24:15). Ministry begins at home and we must take care of the gift God has given us else other efforts will not be a blessing. 1 Tim 3:4 A bishop must rule his house well 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 12 Let deacons rule their own houses well. 5:8 If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. God is above family We must love God more than anything else. Seek ye first Gods Kingdom (Mat 6:33). The Bible does not show in any place where Jesus gives importance to His family over God. As a matter of fact it states otherwise. Jesus himself didnt respond to His mother at the shortage of the wedding-wine - (John 2:4) and while preaching (Mat 12:50). He tells a follower to leave his dying father for God (Mat 8:22). God asked Abram to get out of his country, family, from father’s house, (Gen 12:1) The family relation of the world does not exist in Heaven. He says that family members will become adversaries expecially if we give them more preference. Jesus wants us to have God before our family. The Bible doesnt speak much among brothers of men of God, in the case of sons of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Mat 10:21 brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 35 I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves parents or children more than Me is not worthy of Me. Mat 19:29 Everyone who left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. Mat 22:30 In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. All Children of God are the same family Jesus said all who does the will of His Father in heaven is His brother, sister and mother (Mat 12:50). Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 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 together. Rom 9:7 they are not all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac your seed shall be called. 8 those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise. Gal 4:22 Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise 28 We, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 1 cor 12:20 there are many members, yet one body. 25 the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 1 John 3:1 we should be called children of God 2 we are children of God (Ref:- Gal 4:22-31/Rom 9:7-13) CONCLUSION:- God gifted us a family and we must give them priority over other things of this world, but not God. FRIENDS & FELLOWSHIP:- Our best friendship is in God The Bible does not show any man of God having close friends. This is because Men of God had God as their closest friend in whom they trusted and spent most of their time with. Paul and Barnabas were close and then separated as per Gods will (A 13:2 vs 15:39). Abraham was called a friend of God due to His righteousness (Jam 2:23). Jesus wants to us to be His friends who obey Him and He will save us:- John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. Bible repeatedly says that we must trust God and not men (Psa 118:8) and that when we get closer to worldly things we become enemies of God (Jam 4:4). Jesus states that family & friends will betray us to death (Luke 21:16) and makes 4 references to friends in the Gospel of Matthew, all of which are negative:- 11:19 people grumble about Him befriending sinners, 20:13 He is refering to a person who is wrongly grumbling about wages, 22:12 he is refering to an intruder at a wedding who faces punishment, 26:50 he refers to Judas who is about to betray Him. Fellowship must be in Christ Our fellowship must be with God in Christ with children of God. If our relationship with a friend does not respect or welcome God, he will depart from that relation which will not be a blessing and may end in animosity. Acts 2:42 they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Phil 1:5 I thank my God for your fellowship in the gospel from the start 3:10 fellowship of His sufferings 1 Cor 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 John 1:3 we declare the Gospel to you, that you may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another... Bible discourages from having fellowship with wicked Rom 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 1 Cor 5:11 do not keep company with any brother, who is sinfull, not even to eat with such a person. 13 put away from yourselves the evil person. 1 Cor 10:20 Gentiles sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful or edify. 15:33 Evil company corrupts good habits. 1 Cor 15:33 Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits. 2 Cor 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? what communion has light with darkness? 15 what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God... 17 Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Eph 5:11 have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 2 Thes 3:6 Withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 14 if anyone does not obey our word, do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Tit 3:10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition 2 John 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine of Christ, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. CONCLUSION:- Children of God must have their best friendship with God in Christ and not with the worldly or wicked whom we must refrain from. FOOD & FEAST:- Necessity vs Gluttony People need food for their daily sustenance but we must not end up as party animals and gluttons. Bible talks about eating and feasting for necessity (Gen 2:16/18:7/Like 15:23/Mat 22:4/Heb 13:2). Feasting to celebrate a good occasion is normal, but if food and feasts takes our attention and focus from the spiritual food then it becomes displeasing to God. Gluttony is one of the sins and is related to lust where we earn for things for our body that is beyond what we need. Our body is a temple of God (1 Cor 3:16) and we must not abuse it. Pro 23:20 Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat; 21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags. Pro 28:7 Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son, But a companion of gluttons shames his father. Jesus refers to food as spiritual food and warns about wrong doctrines Mat 4:4 Jesus said -Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. John 6:27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you Mat 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst. Mat 6:25 do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink...Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Mat 16:6 beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees 1 Cor 5:8 let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Act 6:2 the twelve said, It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. Jesus gives living water & is the Bread of Life Jesus created wine (John 2) and multiplied bread and fish (Mat 14 & 15). He provides living water and is the bread of life. John 4:14 whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst 32 I have food to eat of which you do not know. 34 Jesus said My food is to do the will of God John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 38 (do the will of God) John 7:37 If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 1 Cor 10:3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. Give Thanks & Glory to God & in a worthy manner Rom 14:6 He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Col 2:16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink 1 Cor 11:20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment BELOW SECTION IS INCOMPLETE & IN PROCESS ... FUN:- The Bible does not assure you a paradise of fun, food and worldly pleasures. The teachings of Christ taught about bearing pain and sufferings like he did. Below are some bible references to reflect that point. They will be explained at a later time. Please revisit for the explanations. Phil 3:10 Fellowship of His suffering. Mat 3:1 & 4 John preached in wilderness. Mat 4:1 Jesus wandered in wilderness Mat 5:11 Blessed are persecuted 12 rejoice and be glad Mat 10:16/34 not peace but sword 16:21/24 disciples will face persecution Mat 17:22 Jesus will face persecution (Act 9:16/26/23) Mat 19:21 Sell all and come and follow me Mat 21:12 Jesus overthrew tables when he saw people selling in the temple John 6:66 Many walked away from Jesus when he made it clear on how selfless they need to be. John 13:8 Jesus washes the feet of his disciples and expectes the same from all John 16:20 Sorrow will turn to joy 33 In world is tribulations; but Jesus overcame it Act 20:23 Chains and tribulation awaits me Act 21:13 Ready to die 1 Cor 15:31 We die daily 1 Cor 4:11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now. 2 Cor 4:11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 2 Cor 11:23 I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, robbers, my own countrymen, Gentiles, city, wilderness, sea, false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness 1 Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. |
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