The Importance of Spiritual Community | Malachi 2:10

Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? —  Malachi 2:10 So here we have three questions. The first two are rhetorical, and the last one makes the point. The focus of concern here is the covenantal relationship that spiritual brothers have with each other and with God. And by breaking the covenant with one another, they are breaking a covenant with God. This is a severe indictment. But I like it because we take too lightly the spiritual relationship we have with other brothers and sisters in Christ. We think of this too casually. But God does not. This is why he is coming down hard right here. This is because we are responsible for each other, born out of a covenant. By the nature of being a son of God, or a daughter of God, we have been imparted a spiritual identity. We have a Father and a family. This spiritual family takes precedence over even our natural family. For example, in my home, I have a wife, a daughter, and two sons. These four are connected to me naturally, but I also have a spiritual relationship with them. They are my brothers and sisters in Christ. Therefore under the covenantal relationship initiated by God, I have a higher spiritual responsibility to them that supersedes even my natural relationship. And this is true with even you and me. So do you know what this means? It means we cannot act "faithless to one another." God's indictment is that people in the spiritual family were not guarding the truth in a way that would benefit their purity before God. They were not taking responsibility for helping one another live in obedience to the faith. Fellas, this is why we need spiritual community in our lives. You cannot be a Christian and reject the spiritual community. It is simply not possible. While belief in our Father is a personal choice, it has to be lived out in covenant with people who are brothers and sisters in Christ. To try to do so otherwise is impossible. It rejects the identity God imparted, and it rejects the weight of the covenant, and we reject the blessings that only come by means of the family. So today, if you are not in a spiritual community of some kind, I want to implore you to start doing life with another brother in Christ. Take at least a step. Call a brother up, take him out to lunch, have a spiritual conversation, and see if you discover some blessings you've been missing. ASK THIS: Are you a part of a spiritual community? If so, are you committed to it? DO THIS: Be committed to the spiritual community. PRAY THIS: God, I confess. I have been trying to do this alone. Show me the value of community. Give me brothers to do life with. PLAY THIS: Brother. Check out other all Vince Miller's videos and audios for small groups at: https://beresolute.org/ Get Vince's most widely read resources The Daily Devotional at: https://beresolute.org/mdd Check out more ALL IN products like the one Vince is wearing at: https://beresolute.org/product-category/all-in-hats/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Vince socially: FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/millervince INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/vinceleemiller LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincemiller TWITTER: https://twitter.com/vinceleemiller