My son in the Lord

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.  – 1 Corinthians 4.14-18

One thing I really like about the church is the 'familiness' of the believers. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We have spiritual fathers and mothers and spiritual children. It is all about family. We even used to sing a song called 'I'm So Glad I'm a Part of the Family of God.'

Familiness is special. As Paul wrote these words he wrote to his 'beloved children.' He could say that because it was his witness that had laid the foundation for this church in Corinth.

But he ges even more close and personal. He calls Timothy 'my beloved and faithful son in the Lord.' As a, shall we say, more mature Christian man I am challenged by this. In other places we are commended to teach the younger men. We are instructed to teach them so that they can teach others.

Ideally I think this idea of having a ‘beloved and faithful son in the faith’ is someone we would have led to the Lord then disciple, trained, and mentored.

However, we think we also need to be aware of young believers who don’t have a ‘father in the faith.’ In those cases we can come alongside and, for lack of a better term, adopt them as our own sons in the faith to see them develop into maturity.

There is no need for anyone to do without a spiritual father or mother. We are, after all, and family and it is vital that we look out for each other.