Navigating family relationships can be challenging, especially when it feels like separation might be necessary. The Bible offers guidance and wisdom for these tough times. Let’s explore some Scripture that addresses when and why cutting off family ties might be considered, providing insight and comfort in difficult decisions.
Bible Verses About Cutting Off Family Ties
Matthew 10:37 – Our love for Christ must surpass all other relationships
“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
Luke 14:26 – Following Jesus requires a willingness to place Him above all
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.”
Matthew 12:48-50 – Spiritual ties can be more significant than physical bonds
“He replied to him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’ Pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’
Luke 9:59-60 – The call to follow Christ may require leaving familial obligations
“He said to another man, ‘Follow me.’ But he replied, ‘Lord, first let me go back and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’
John 15:18-19 – Our allegiance to Christ may put us at odds with family
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.”
Matthew 10:34 – Jesus brings a division even within close relationships
“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
Mark 3:31-35 – True kinship is based on faith in Christ
“Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.’ ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers!'”
John 7:5 – The lack of belief can create distance in family relationships
“For even his own brothers did not believe in him.”
Luke 12:51-53 – Embracing faith can lead to family conflicts
“Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on, there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.”
Matthew 19:29 – Following Christ can mean sacrificing earthly ties
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”
1 John 2:15 – Our love for God should surpass our love for family bonds
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”
Luke 14:33 – Our commitment to Christ must outweigh all earthly attachments
“In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
Matthew 16:24-25 – The call to self-denial may include family ties
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.’
James 4:4 – Friendship with the world versus being a friend of God
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
Matthew 10:21 – Familial betrayal is a possibility when choosing faith
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.”
Revelation 3:15-16 – A lukewarm faith may not stand firm when family ties are threatened
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
Galatians 1:10 – Seeking approval from God rather than family
“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Philippians 3:8 – Considering earthly ties as loss compared to knowing Christ
“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:16 – Spiritual perspective trumps earthly relationships
“So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.”
Romans 8:31 – With God on our side, familial relationships can be secondary
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Ephesians 6:2-3 – Honoring parents does not trump our duty to God
“‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise—’so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’
Luke 9:62 – Our commitment to Christ requires unwavering focus
“Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’
Colossians 3:2 – Setting our hearts on things above helps with earthly ties
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Acts 5:29 – Obedience to God takes precedence over human authority
“Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than human beings!’
Romans 12:2 – We are called to transform our understanding of familial obligations
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Matthew 5:11 – We may face family rejection for our faith
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”
Philippians 3:20 – Our true citizenship is in heaven, above earthly ties
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Proverbs 18:24 – Faithful friends can be closer than family
“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Also Read: 30 Bible Verses about Without Jesus We Are Nothing
What Does the Bible Say About Cutting Off Family Ties
When we examine what the Bible says about cutting off family ties, we navigate a complex and nuanced topic. Family is often portrayed as a sacred unit in the Scriptures, imbued with divine significance. Thus, the idea of severing those bonds is not one to be taken lightly.
Throughout the Bible, we find multiple passages that stress the importance of honoring our father and mother (Exodus 20:12) and maintaining familial relationships. These verses emphasize that family relationships should be cherished and nurtured. However, the Bible also acknowledges scenarios where maintaining those ties becomes extraordinarily difficult or even damaging.
In the New Testament, for example, Jesus speaks about the cost of discipleship in a way that sometimes seems to clash with family loyalty. In Matthew 10:34-37, Jesus says that He came not to bring peace but a sword, setting even family members against each other. The message here is clear: our dedication to spiritual truths and following Christ might bring us into conflict with even our closest relatives. Essentially, our ultimate allegiance should be to God.
There are also instances, such as in cases of harmful or sinful behavior, where Scripture allows for distance or separation. Matthew 18:15-17 speaks about how to deal with someone who sins against us. The process involves private confrontation, bringing witnesses, and involving the community. If the person still refuses to listen, we are to treat them as we would a “pagan or a tax collector,” indicating a form of relational severance.
Furthermore, in situations of abuse or extreme conflict, taking a step back from family relationships is sometimes necessary for our well-being and spiritual health. Proverbs offers wisdom on the company we keep (Proverbs 13:20), and while it mostly concerns friends, the principles can sometimes extend to family if their influence is harmful.
Yet, the Bible encourages reconciliation and peacemaking whenever possible. Romans 12:18 instructs us to live at peace with everyone, as far as it depends on us. Forgiveness and reconciliation are significant themes in the Christian faith, steering us toward healing rather than permanent estrangement.
To summarize, while the Bible greatly values family bonds and urges us to maintain and honor these relationships, it also recognizes that situations may arise where cutting ties, at least temporarily, becomes necessary. Our commitment to following God’s principles should guide us, balancing grace with boundaries.