All in the Family: Why Jesus is Not our Personal Savior

Dec 22, 2025

Dive into a lively discussion about faith, family, and community. The hosts explore the concept of 'adoption to sonship,' highlighting how it reshapes our identity and belonging. They challenge the individualism of modern faith, emphasizing the importance of community loyalty. Learn about Jesus' radical redefinition of family dynamics and the significance of being part of God’s household. The conversation cleverly contrasts bounded and centered sets in faith, inviting listeners to embrace a communal journey rather than an isolated one.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Adoption As Social Reunification

Paul’s image of adoption reframes salvation as receiving a new status and family, not becoming male or gaining gendered traits.
Adoption in Roman terms meant public transfer, canceled debts, and permanent inheritance as a son in a new household.

INSIGHT

Salvation Is Corporate, Not Just Personal

American individualism makes salvation sound like a private transaction between me and Jesus.
Tim Stafford argues the New Testament instead assumes corporate sin and social reunification into God's family.

INSIGHT

Ancient Strong-Group Social Order

In the ancient world group identity trumped individuality and the family was the core social unit.
Siblingship often outranked marriage because identity flowed through the father's bloodline.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Join Mike and Tim as they dive into a lively discussion about the essence of family, identity, and faith. In this episode, they explore the concept of "adoption to sonship" and how it redefines our understanding of belonging and community. With humor and depth, they challenge traditional views and invite listeners to consider a broader perspective on what it means to be part of a spiritual family. Tune in for an engaging conversation that blends theology with everyday life, all wrapped in the warmth of the holiday spirit.

In this conversation, the hosts explore the themes of faith, family, and community within Christianity, emphasizing the importance of understanding God as a father and the implications of adoption and sonship. They discuss the cultural context of Jesus' teachings, the role of individualism versus community, and the concept of loyalty to God's family. The conversation also touches on the distinction between bounded and centered sets in faith, ultimately inviting listeners to engage in a communal journey of faith.

Takeaways:

Christian nationalism is alive and well.
Father is a status word, not a gender word.
To be a part of Jesus is to be a part of his people.
Jesus is not your personal savior.
We're playing soccer, not rugby.
The early Christians did not sharply distinguish between commitment to God and commitment to God's family.
Salvation is a social reunification.
You cannot be a part of two groups.
Loyalty to God is loyalty to God's people.
We are playing soccer, not rugby.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Christmas Spirit 03:06 Exploring the Concept of Fatherhood 06:01 Adoption and Sonship in Christian Theology 09:01 The Role of Family in Identity 12:00 Cultural Perspectives on Individualism vs. Community 15:03 The Significance of Group Dynamics in the Ancient World 17:50 Jesus' Redefinition of Family Relationships 29:47 Redefining Family and Kinship 32:21 The New Family of God 35:05 The Cost of Discipleship 37:28 Understanding Jesus' Hard Teachings 40:32 The Nature of God's Will 43:31 Loyalty and Allegiance in the Kingdom 46:22 Social Reality of Salvation 49:13 Choosing Between Two Families 51:02 Bounded vs. Centered Sets in Faith 58:01 Redefining Loyalties: From Ethnic Identity to Jesus 01:00:59 The Early Church: Community Over Individualism 01:03:55 The Role of Gifts: Individuality for the Collective 01:06:59 Loyalty and Discipleship: The Cost of Following Jesus 01:09:57 Invitation to Play: The Soccer Game of Faith 01:13:00 Boundaries and Inclusion: Redefining Church Membership

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy