God’s Idea of the Family
We see God’s plan for families throughout the Bible. He commands couples to “be fruitful and multiply,” to fill the earth and subdue it.
God’s Design
In God’s design, the family is a very important and central institution. He created it in order to communicate, preserve and further expand His holy influence. He also uses the family as a platform to enact His Kingdom plans for this world.
It is through the family that we see how a man and a woman are to relate to one another, how children should be raised, and what our responsibility is to God and to others. The Bible contains many stories about families, both good and bad. Sadly, sin entered the world and destroyed God’s perfect plan. But even though Scripture is full of sad stories about family, it still holds true that God’s purpose for the family is greater than ever.
(1) To Conduct Government For God ("…rule, have dominion, subdue"). It is the role of families to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the people of this world and make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). This cannot be done without families, especially parents. This is why it is so vital that parents are faithful in their church and disciple their children.
(2) To Produce and Raise a Godly Heritage ("…multiply, fill the earth"). It is the responsibility of every family to raise children who are godly and wise (Proverbs 22:6; Proverbs 1:8; Matthew 7:14) and to leave them with a legacy of faith in the Lord (Deuteronomy 4:9, 14:9). While there are unavoidable circumstances that prevent many people from having their own biological families, it is still the duty of all families to help and support each other. It is not a sin to seek adoption or to find other ways to raise a godly child.
However, it is a sin to undermine the Biblical model of the family and substitute it with a worldly one. This is the message that is being conveyed by organizations and it has led to a widespread ambivalence and passive hostility toward the family as God established it in His Word. It is unfortunate that many Christians have bought into this lie, but the truth is that it is the family which God values most.
God’s Purpose
La Familia De Dios primary instrument to enact His purpose in the world. He designed the family to produce spiritually mature human beings who will get His work done in this world and prepare people for the next. Although the Bible encourages families to support and serve other social groups, such as churches and community activities, the family is always seen as being central in God’s plan.
The reason for this is that Satan’s biggest goal is to destroy the family. He knows that if he can convince parents to abandon their God-given responsibility to nurture and raise their children in the way of Christ, he will have succeeded in undermining or possibly destroying every other institution in human society.
Satan also realizes that the family is the first place where young adults are exposed to the influences of religious beliefs and values. The biblical mandate that children obey their parents is designed to shape those values into the lives of the whole family. This is why Paul wrote, “Obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise), that it may be well with you, and that thou mayest live long on the earth, which the Lord hath given thee” (Ephesians 6:1-4).
In fact, it was within the context of an earthly family that Jesus himself was raised. He grew up under the care of His mother and brothers, learning how to submit to and benefit from parental direction. In addition, He saw His mother’s great love for Him displayed even as she stood by the cross enduring the agony of her son’s death. God’s design for the family is far more important than the popular notion that it is simply a human convenience or an evolutionary necessity. Help your kids understand this truth by introducing them to the masterpieces of God’s creation. hey will learn what makes these creations great and gain a deeper appreciation of the purpose that God placed in their own family.
God’s Plan
God’s plan for the family is a central part of His kingdom plans on earth. The family is a key means by which He teaches His truths, communicates His values and further expands His holy influence. He has given families a special place of honor.
From the beginning of time, He has sought to strengthen family ties. He instituted the first marriage between a man and a woman and gave children a special place in His heart. He has encouraged husbands to love their wives and fathers to teach their children the Bible. He has also taught us to be respectful of our parents and to obey them, even when they might not make good decisions.
The ultimate purpose of the family is to produce and raise a godly heritage. In order to fulfill this important mission, a family must be spiritually strong. The family is a unique place for spiritual growth and discipleship. This is why it is crucial that the family be led by a spiritually mature man and woman. This requires a husband and wife who are willing to submit to each other, lovingly care for one another and faithfully lead their children.
Unfortunately, some Christian couples are tempted to use their roles in the family for their own self-gratification. They may feel it is more important to focus on their careers, church programs or other forms of charitable work or political activism than on their family responsibilities. These well-intentioned but misguided ideas are a threat to the true glory of God and should be avoided at all costs.
In addition, some families are choosing not to have any children at all. This is a huge mistake! God has only asked a couple to forgo having children in the rare and specific instance that He specifically reveals in His word that He has another purpose for them that excludes having them. Otherwise, when a Christian couple chooses not to have children, they are taking what God has ordained for them (the pleasure of sexual intimacy, the joy of parenthood) and refusing to give Him what He wants out of it: godly offspring who will worship Him and further His kingdom!
God’s Expectations
God expects families to obey His Word, to baptize their children and to teach them in the way that they should go. The Bible teaches that the family has the right and responsibility to entrust its children to the Lord to be educated, trained, and disciplined.
The family is also to worship God in its home. This can be in the form of daily reading, praising, exhorting, and making communion. The family can even evangelize and preach. Families have the authority and freedom to do all of this without the permission or approval of any other body of believers or cleric, local church or national organization.
Moreover, the Bible tells parents to teach their children to love and serve the Lord. This is the primary purpose of the family. God wants families to be a blessing to the world by raising generations of followers of Christ. To accomplish this goal, the Bible reveals that His ultimate plan is for families to advance His Kingdom and carry out His Great Commission through larger generation after larger generation of worshippers of Christ – and one of the main ways He achieves this is through the discipling power of family life under the guidance and accountability of the local church.
It is no accident that a large part of the promise that God made to Abraham involved family. Genesis 15:5 states, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to number them.” God wants families to grow and multiply and be fruitful and fill the earth.
This is why the Lord has given families authority in their homes to raise and educate their children. God has placed the family at the center of His plans for the world and is committed to strengthening and defending it. Satan knows that his greatest weakness in the fight to derail this plan is family. He knows that if he can take out Christian fathers in the home, he has won a major victory. Let us pray for God to help us live up to the expectations He has set for His families.
We see God’s plan for families throughout the Bible. He commands couples to “be fruitful and multiply,” to fill the earth and subdue it. God’s Design In God’s design, the family is a very important and central institution. He created it in order to communicate, preserve and further expand His holy influence. He also uses…