GOD’S KIND OF FAMILY

     Satan is doing everything that he can to destroy God’s kind of family. God loves the family as it is described in the Bible. But, Satan hates everything that God loves. The home, as described in the Bible, is the work of God. Satan hates the family as God designed it and he is doing everything he can to destroy it. Satan loves to find ways to break families apart; yet God hates divorce. “For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” (Malachi 2:16) God designed a family with a man as husband, a woman as wife and children being born to husbands and wives who are legally married to one another. It is a false way when men and women decide to just live together not married. (1 Corinthians 6:6-11) It is a false way to have babies outside of marriage. It is a false way for men to be married to men. “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” (Leviticus 18:22) It is a false way for a woman to be married to a woman. “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.” (Romans 1:24-26) God hates these false ways and with His help we can go out and defeat Satan, the home wrecker. “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” (Psalms 119:104)

     God’s kind of family has a Christian husband and father. Godly men must love their wives, (a) Like Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, and (b) Like they love their own body, nourishing and cherishing it. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:” (Ephesians 5:25-29) Husbands are even to give their wives priority over their own parents. “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” (Ephesians 5:31) Husbands are to honor their wives, understand them and treat them as the special being that they are. “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7) Husbands must also exhibit the right attitude toward their wife. “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.” (Colossians 3:19) I still have faith in God’s kind of family!        

     God’s kind of family has a Christian wife and mother. Godly wives are to submit to their husbands. The wife must respect the husband as her head. She must be subject to him in everything. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.” (Ephesians 5:22-24) Younger women must be taught to love their husbands and to love their children. (Titus 2:4) The wife must respect or reverence her husband. “Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33) A woman may work outside of the home (Proverbs 31:10-31), however if she is married here primary role is that of a wife and a mother. I still have faith in God’s kind of family!        

     God’s kind of family has children born to Christian fathers and mothers. It is not a sin to choose not to marry. Neither is it a sin to marry and not have children. It is a sin to have children outside of marriage. Christian men have the responsibility to provide for their family. “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Timothy 5:8) God never intended for children to be born to unwed parents and then the government have to be responsible to feed, clothe and provide for them. Godly men are to train their children to serve God. (Ephesians 6:4) Young people must be taught to follow the steps of Jesus. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21) Children must be taught and trained with kindness and love. “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” (Colossians 3:21) By continual faultfinding you can discourage and destroy a child. Christian women must love their children. (Titus 2:4) When the men are sorry and do not fulfill their God given responsibility, women must see that their children are trained to serve God. This was the case with Timothy, “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” (2 Timothy 1:5) We will always be better husbands and wives, better parents, and better children by loving Jesus and serving Him faithfully. If America is ever to turn back to the Lord it will start with our homes. I still have faith in God’s kind of family!

     Govern your family and yourself by being faithful to God and fruitful in His service. Save your family by being busy working for God. Pray more. Read the Bible more. Our spiritual citizenship and our hope for a strong family, God’s kind of family, is through and because of Jesus, the Christ. To be saved from sin hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (Mark 16:16), repent of sins (Luke 13:5), confess Jesus as Lord (Matthew 10:32), and be baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3-4) We should all choose God’s way for our family because it has proven to always be the better way. I still have faith in God’s kind of family!                      

By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, 306 Walnut Street, Greenville, Alabama 36037