Family Ties

This post is from my previous blog, Ear to the Heavens. Enjoy.

Blood is thicker than water.

Our western culture believes that family - the bond between a brother or sister, father or mother - is more important than any other relationship, and that, when push comes to shove, we always side with family, regardless of circumstances.

Blood is thicker than water.

I've even been witness to situations where a wife or husband would abandon their spouse and return to their parents or siblings when an event or circumstances has caused a rift. Blood relations are more important than even the marital covenant.

Blood is thicker than water.

Churches have been split when natural familial ties have been considered stronger than the bonds of Christ's love or His sacrfice. Wives have encouraged husbands to stand pridefully strong when the need of the moment is humility and, as a result, brothers in Christ have gone separate ways. We are united in water baptism, but family is blood.

Blood is thicker than water.

We westerners have little or no concept of what "covenant" means. Middle-eastern cultures have lived by covenant law for millenia. Making a covenant with another person is no little thing. Often, there is a process or ritual by which covenant is entered into. It usually involves some kind of sacrifice or blood spilling to emphasize the import of the agreement. At one time, the consequence for breaking covenant was death.

The two people entering into covenant would cut themselves, usually their hand or forearm, and then they would shake hands or cross forearms to allow their blood to mingle.(We, here in the west, have a similar thing kids often do to become "blood brothers.")

The two, bound by the blood covenant, have a responsibility to one another that is greater than that of any other relationship. If the one is hungry and the other has food, the one who has shares with the one who has not. If the one has a horse and the other does not, the one with the horse offers it to the other. No other relationship takes priority over that of the covenant partner.

So, if blood represents the covenant relationship, then what does water mean? Having only part of the picture - taking a phrase out of it's original context - always leads to misunderstanding.

The Blood of the Covenant is Thicker than the Water of the Womb.

We who have entered into covenant with Jesus Christ have a stronger bond with him than with any human, regardless of their genetic bond. Having been washed in the blood, having drank His blood - the blood of the new covenant - we have entered into the most powerful relationship we ever could and our responsibility to Him is greater than any other.

And our brothers and sisters in Christ are bound to us by the very same blood. The blood covenant relationship with Christ extends to His body: the church. The relationship we have with fellow believers is stronger and of higher importance than that of even "blood" relatives.
Blood is thicker than water.

"Who are my mother and my brothers?" [Jesus] asked.

Then He looked at those seated in a circle around Him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother." - Mark 3:34-35

P.S. I rejoice that members of my family are also covenant blood brothers. It is awesome to know that the closest bonds on earth have been made closer by the blood of Christ and that those relationships will continue into eternity.