[Darris McNeely] As you're reading the Bible, have you ever noticed how often the Bible talks about God as a family? God is a family. We can have a relationship with God through this family relationship. It's the core, it's the most important aspect of the Bible. It's what you might call your prime reality of the Bible, of life, of this universe, that God is a family, that God is creating a family, is sharing through that family relationship the hope of eternity, the promise of salvation for mankind.

In Ephesians 3, the Scripture that points us to this, beginning in verse 14, it's dawned on me as I was preparing a Beyond Today program here for the next taping that we do. In verse 14 of Ephesians 3, Paul writes, "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." This is one of those Scriptures, for years I've taught it, continue to teach it to students in helping them to understand the purpose for human life. But it's right here, summarized in two verses, this prime reality about life and about everything - what I like to call the whole enchilada sometimes, that this wraps it all up. That God is a father, we have a relationship with Him, and it says, "The whole family in heaven and earth is named after God," the God family. It's a marvelous truth.

Now, there are dozens and dozens of other Scriptures that we could turn to to lay this out. But here's the point, as you read your Bible, as you study, and as you think this through, understand that God is a family, and that truth opens up the most important understanding, not only about our life, but about who God is and our understanding to be able to read the Scriptures and discern the very nature of God and His son, Jesus Christ. There's no greater knowledge.

That's it. That's BT Daily. Join us next time.