The Christian Family

      The family has come under heavy attack in today's society. On television, father's are often depicted as buffoons. Mothers are typically depicted as career minded and in control. Parents in general are characterized as dim wits who aren't "with it."
      In too many families, in order to make ends meet, the mother must work and entrust the care of her children to strangers. Children are independent, arrogant, and disrespectful. Everywhere you look society is offering quick and easy fixes, sexual promiscuity, "safe sex," and promises of freedom without penalty.
      Divorce destroys 50% of all marriages.
      Gangs are growing.
      Sexual molestations by parents of their own children is increasing as are acts of violence.
      Amidst all the depressing facts there is a ray of hope: the Bible. God has given us the instruction book for families. He has defined the family, taught us the roles of each of the family members, and has promised to bless those who adhere to His will. Praise God! We need it!

1. What is the Family?
   1. The Family is God's covenant arrangement where two people, male and female, are joined to one flesh, "For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). It is a covenant in that it is an agreement, a promise made between the couple getting married. This covenant is before God and is binding until death (or adultery) breaks the union.
   2. The family does not consist of a homosexual or lesbian relationship where the two people of the same sex seek to be married. This is against scripture: "And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸ And God blessed them; and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth" (Gen. 1:27-28).
2. Where did the Family begin?
   1. The Family was instituted by God in the Garden of Eden Genesis chapter 1:26-31 and Gen. 2:18-25.
      1. Gen 1:26-31 is the declaration of Man's creation with the command to be fruitful and multiply. Concluding the section is God's declaration that it was very good.
      2. Gen. 2:18-25 is the account of Adam looking for a helper and God then making Eve from Adam's rib and instituting marriage.
3. What is the purpose of the Family?
   1. To multiply and fill the earth -- Gen. 1:28, ". . .Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it. . ."
   2. Marriage
   3. Procreation -- Gen. 1:28
      1. Continuing the covenant -- through procreation, the covenant between Adam and God is continued.
      2. Fulfilling God's command to multiply and fill the earth
      3. Fulfilling God's command to subdue the earth
   4. Sexual union - 1 Cor. 7:3-5
   5. Sexual Fidelity and Purity - Exodus 20:14
4. The Important role of the Family in Society
   1. Building Block of Society.
   2. Place of learning.
   3. Society reflects the family.
5. Scriptures concerning the family
   1. Concerning Husband and Wife
      1. The husband is the head: 1 Cor. 11:3 - But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
      2. The husband is the leader: Gen. 18:19 -- For I have chosen him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice; in order that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.
      3. Wife is subject to husband: Col. 3:18 -- Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  cf., Eph. 5:22-24
      4. Husband is to love his wife: Eph. 5:25, Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;
      5. Sexual duty: 1 Cor. 7:3 Let the husband fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
      6. Sexual Purity: Exodus 20:14 - You shall not commit adultery.
   2. Concerning Children
      1. Honor: Exodus 20:12 - Honor your father and mother.
      2. Obedience: Eph. 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
      3. Child rearing: Eph. 6:4 - And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
   3. Polygamy
      1. Permitted in the O.T.: Gen. 4:19 - And Lamech took two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah.
      2. Condemned in the N.T.: 1 Tim. 3:2,12; Titus 1:6.
   4. Miscellaneous Scriptures
      1. Prov. 12:4, An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones
      2. Prov. 14:1, The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
      3. Prov. 19:13, A foolish son is destruction to his father, And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.

      The Bible has much to say about the Family. God takes it very seriously. As Christians, we should too. . . especially the fathers.