Father Against Son -- Mother Against Daughter?

"For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.

"Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me." (Micah 7: 6-7)

I believe that this verse argues that who we are must be based on much more than our parents.

We need a Father who will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). In Christ, we receive a new standing:

"15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8: 15-17)

"Abba, Father" -- Daddy!

Father against son? What's going on, then?

"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." (Matthew 10:36)

The next verses will help explain the point that Jesus is making:

"37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." (Matthew 10: 37-39)

We have no life to lose, because we are born into this world after the likeness of Adam, dead in our trespasses (Ephesians 2: 1).

In no way are we worthy of God the Father. In no way can we claim to be worthy of Jesus Christ. Paul explains how this shows God's love for us:

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." (Romans 5: 8-11)

We were sinners, alienated from God. In no wise can anyone of us claim that we are worthy of Jesus in anything that we have done. Instead of presuming upon ourselves to earn Himself, He has given us His life:

"17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)

If we think that we can earn it, then it is not a gift, but the righteousness and the grace that we need, we cannot earn.

As in many passages throughout the four Gospels, Jesus is bringing the law back to its pristine and unassailable height, that no one can keep the law, but rather that the law would bring us to the end of ourselves and reduce us to receiving God's grace and righteousness as gifts through His Son.

Thus, we leave one family and enter into another family.