“For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother” (Mark 3:35).

What a precious truth! That the Creator of the universe, the Son of God, the King of kings, would not only call us His brothers and sisters, but would actually make the sacrifice necessary “to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:5).

Two marvelous chapters (Romans 8 and Hebrews 2) provide insights into this increase in the size of the family of God, initially consisting of God the Father and God the Son, through the ministry of God the Spirit. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (v.16). We have “received the Spirit of adoption” (v.15), made possible by the fact that Christ died and rose again (v.34). We were foreknown by God, predestinated to be “conformed to the image of His Son” (v.29), called, justified, and glorified (v.30). Why? “That He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (v.29). He is our elder brother, in a favored position in God’s eyes, but we are    also “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (v.17).

Christ paid dearly to allow us the privilege of sonship. He was “made like unto His brethren” (Hebrews 2:17), “a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death . . . that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (v.9), and is “not ashamed to call (us) brethren” (v.11). Yet, in all, He praised and honored His Father, even proclaiming from the cross, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren” (v.12).

Think of it! Our elder brother set aside aspects of His deity, became like one of us, suffered and substituted in full payment for our sins to make our salvation complete, and even now aids us (Hebrews 2:18) and intercedes for us (Romans 8:34). JDM