Faith Across Generations

The Apostle Paul opens his second letter to his young pastor friend, Timothy, with some comments on family connections.

He speaks with heartfelt gratitude—not just for Timothy, but for the long line of faith behind them both. I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did… (v.3). He remembers the deep roots of his own faith, stretching back to Abraham.

Likewise, Timothy inherited his belief from the teaching of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice.

Isn’t that how faith often comes to us? Through Scripture shared in regular moments of life, quiet prayers at bedtime, and the steady example of someone who trusts God. Wherever it began, your faith is now part of a living chain. Build on it. Pass it on. Start it fresh if you must.

What do you know about family members before you? Any funny stories or traditions they have passed down to your generation? How about examples of faith or great memories of being in the Word together?

In our family it can at times be easy to talk about faith, and at times very challenging. Paul encourages Timothy—and us—not to be ashamed of this faith, even when it’s hard to share. We’ve been called with a holy calling, not because of anything we’ve done, but because of Christ’s grace.

And while faith often begins at home, it grows as we long to be with our spiritual family, those united not by blood, but by hope in their Savior, Jesus Christ.

I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did (2 Timothy 1:3)

God’s Ancient Blessing That Affirms Who We Are

How do you know who you are? We’re frequently told to find that out for ourselves in modern U.S. culture. But often we find out who we are by what others tell us.

In a movie I remember seeing years ago the question was raised to a group of men, “When did you know you were no longer a boy, but a man?” The main answer was, “When my dad told me I was.” That could apply to daughters with their moms, or so many other situations.

Thousands of years ago God gave his people a sacred blessing. More than just a poem, this blessing, which we still hear today, tells us who we are in God’s eyes.

“The LORD bless you and keep you.” God isn’t distant or passive; He longs to bless and protect us. His blessings aren’t . . . . always material, but they are always personal—his presence, his guidance, his grace, his provision.

“The LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.” In ancient times, a shining face symbolized favor and delight. God looks at you with joy, not disappointment. He’s a gracious God who doesn’t give us what our sins deserve but offers mercy and love.

“The LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” This is a promise of God’s nearness and attention. To have His face turned toward us means we are not forgotten. And what flows from His presence? Peace—real, lasting peace in a turbulent world.

When this blessing is spoken, God puts his name on his people. It’s a mark of belonging. Today, rest in the truth that you are seen and kept by a God who delights in blessing you.

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24–26)

The Tower of Babel seemed like a good idea. It used new technology—brick instead of stone, tar for mortar (Genesis 11:3). The people were unified, aiming to build a tower to the heavens.

But the project had major flaws. God had told people to spread across the earth, but they refused. Their motives were wrong: “so that we may make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4). They ignored God’s purpose and glory.

Technology today is advancing rapidly, offering benefits in health, work, knowledge, and convenience. But the downsides—like anxiety, laziness, and isolation—can be harder to see.

“Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master” (Nobel prize winner Christian Lange). Even united efforts can do harm when they lead people away from trusting God toward human pride and self-reliance.

So God confused their language. He reminded them—and us—that projects focused on self-glory don’t lead to eternal relationship with Him. Do your undertakings include God? Do you seek His guidance and align your plans with His Word? Even unity can go wrong without God at the center.

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit reversed Babel’s division. People of many languages heard and understood the gospel—God’s grace through Jesus. True unity comes from that message.

We’re not here to build our own towers but to help build God’s kingdom through the Holy Spirit in the gospel.
“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:21)

Do you like the thought of things being “uniform”? Does it evoke feelings of pride in wearing the same clothes as your military companions or sports team or college? Or does it seem oppressive as in a dictator trying to squash liberties, or boring and limited as in an authority figure who dislikes creativity?

It all depends on what’s behind the uniform. The difference lies in whether it is forcing us into something we don’t like, or expressing the joy of being part of a group we love.

We lost the right to the tree of life in the Garden of Eden through sin. There is a group that will have the right returned to them. We are outside the eternal city of God by nature. There is a group that will be able to walk right through the gates of the city into eternal bliss. Everyone in that group has the same uniform.
Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14)

We can’t get to the tree of life in . . . . the heaven without our robes, the robes washed in the blood of Christ.
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

We don’t make these robes or wash them clean ourselves. The gift is just that – a gift.
Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17)

Through faith in Jesus you won’t be “left off” the team. God will recognize your clothing washed in Christ. The gates will be opened for you. Beside the tree of life your full life will begin!

Cities and towns can take on a personality of their own, something they’re known for. There might be a characteristic that unites the people that live there, so much so that the place gets a nickname.

Here are some you probably know: Chicago (“The Windy City”) and Paris (“The City of Lights”). Here are a few you might not know: Curitiba, Brazil (“The City of Eternal Fog”); Ushuaia, Argentina (“The End of the World”); Yatomi, Japan (“The City of Goldfish”). And here are a couple more that are not so complimentary: Las Vegas (“Sin City”) and London (“The Big Smoke”).

What is your place of residence known for? Is it something you’re proud of? We can spend our whole life chasing the perfect place to live. There will always be pros and cons, things we enjoy and things we don’t. After that search is done, we will arrive at the city we have always . . . . yearned for. This city appears at the end of the book of Revelation, and could be called “The Golden City,” “The City of Life,” or “The Pure City.” Or, probably the best name for it, “The City of the Lord God Almighty.”

We will live there with the Lamb, because of the Lamb! The One who has purified us so we can dwell where the Lord is. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, washed us in his blood on the cross. Through faith in him he gave us the white robes of holiness that are the attire in heaven.

You will live in perfect peace in the City of God because of your Savior!

21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. 22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. (Revelation 21:21-22)

On the night before he gave his life for the world, Jesus left his disciples a new command to love one another. It’s been pointed out that God’s people were already supposed to be loving. There was even a command to that effect many centuries before: Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. (Leviticus 19:18).

The “newness” wasn’t so much our love to others, but our love to others in the love of Christ. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 13:34). Jesus’ love is sacrificial. It took suffering. It meant lowering himself to a human existence. It was faithful and in service to others. It included love for his enemies. And the love of Christ was for you.

That’s not just any kind of love. It has embraced you by grace through faith in Jesus. You see what it looks in your Savior.

Don’t be shy! You have this “new” love to give because it has arrived in your life. You are sure in your eternal salvation and your conscience is at peace because of God’s gift of grace in his Son’s death for you.

Let people see through you an extraordinary love toward your spouse, children, coworkers, friends and enemies. Then they will know without a doubt you’ve been touched by the love of Christ.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35)

I wonder if there’s a reason we have so many different words for difficult times. Just a short list would have words like “distress,” “anguish,” “agony,” “affliction,” “trouble,” “sorrow” and “woe.” There are quite a few more that could be added. Do we really need so many? Maybe not, but it likely shows difficult times are a very common experience since we talk about them in such a variety of ways.

Another similar word is “tribulation.” Mentioning “tribulations” is not so common outside the church, and even for us it’s not an everyday word. (However, Google Books has an application that shows how frequent a word was used over time. “Tribulation” was more common in the 1800s, took a dip through the 1900s, and now has seen somewhat of a comeback since the 1990s/2000s).

Whatever way we choose to express the idea, our big wish is to get out of it. The great news is that we will! No matter what difficulty it is. We will get out of it. The apostle John is given a vision . . . . in which he sees those who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14).

Some see the “great tribulation” in this verse as a time of special trial for Christians near the end of time like what Jesus describes in Matthew 24:21. That could be the case. Although it’s true John is already a “companion in suffering/tribulation” with his readers (John 1:9) in his own times long before the end of the world.

This vision is for all believers who have experienced tribulation. You may well have your own story of tribulation. Just about everyone does. Persecution or criticism for your faith. Health or relationship tribulations. You may well “get out” of them for a while during life on earth. They have a way of returning, often in different forms.

We ask for deliverance now in God’s goodness. But the great deliverance is what John sees. If those in great tribulation have made it to the place of perfect peace, we will too. With our clothes washed in the blood of Christ. For those who believe in him, there will be a certain escape by God’s grace from any trouble to the great multitude in heaven. See what John sees and rejoice in hope!

13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
14 I answered, “Sir, you know.”
And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:13-14)