 Family
The most basic structure of interpersonal relationships in the human experience is the family. Even friendships which can at times supersede familial relationships are necessarily second to the family. This is because the existence and care of the family members is rooted in the primary relationship which is the marriage between the husband and the wife. Of course, in a fallen world still dealing with the effects of sin and judgment, individual families may not reflect this ideal, but the exceptions in this case prove the rule. Marriage At the center of the family, as designed by God before sin marred His good creation, is the marriage of man and woman (Genesis 2:18-25). Since this is the case, this is also the point that is most critical in both individual and societal development. So goes the phrase “the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” It is true that marriage and forming families is the most important foundation in cultural edification. This is why marriage has always been the point of attack from the world, the flesh, and the devil. The corruption of marriage and perversion of children is a direct attack against the image and glory of God in this world. This means that to see the promotion and proclamation of the kingdom of God it must first and fundamentally come to the family home before the chambers of the political capitals of the nations. Godly men loving their wives as Christ does the church and godly women respecting and submitting to their husbands as the church does to Christ (Ephesians 5:22-33) is far more formidable against the principalities and powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:11-12) than any decision from any congress, court, or caesar! Children Children are a blessing from the Lord for parents, churchess and communities (Psalm 127:3-5). Today, many societies and nations, especially among the developed world are in a demographic crisis because for far too long these nations, including our own, have not valued kids as the blessing that they are. The problem in our world is not a swelling population but rather an aging population. We need more children, not less. The secular world has considered children either a luxury for those who want them or a liability to be discarded on the altar of convenience. This claim is easily established by even a cursory look at abortion statistics are the ongoing debate over something that should not only be illegal but unthinkable. Our children are the most direct, important and receptive opportunities that we will ever have to advance and extend the kingdom of God in the world. Through the evangelization and discipleship of our children and children the Lord providentially brings under our care and influence we can not only advance the kingdom numerically and geographically but chronologically into the future. This has always been key to God’s intention to spread His kingdom through the catechesis and education (Deuteronomy 6:7-9) of believing children for the building of believing communities. So as individual people become truly transformed believers as we saw last week, they form godly families that are crucial to the advancement of God’s glory and kingdom in the world which cannot be thwarted by any political regime. Next week, we see how these families should commit to one another in healthy Biblical churches.
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