Joshua 24:15
The family is a fundamental and universal institution that has existed throughout history. It serves numerous vital roles and functions essential to developing and maintaining a healthy and stable society. The first family was formed. Before the Tabernacle was made, before the establishment of the church, God instituted the family.
The concept of family is extremely
important in the Bible. The concept of family was introduced in the very
beginning, as we see in Genesis 1:28, "God blessed them and said to them,
‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over
the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature
that moves on the ground.'" God’s plan for creation was for men and women
to marry and have children. A man and a woman would form a
"one-flesh" union through marriage (Genesis 2:24), and they with
their children become a family, the essential building block of human society.
We also see early on that family members were to
look after and care for one another. When God asked Cain, "Where is Abel
your brother?" Cain’s response is the flippant "Am I my brother’s
keeper?" The implication is that, yes, Cain was expected to be Abel’s
keeper and vice versa.
One of the family’s most crucial
functions is providing emotional and physical support to its members. Family
members offer love, care, and help to one another, fostering emotional security
and stability. Within the family, individuals learn essential life skills, such
as problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills that help them
navigate their lives and relationships with others.
Another vital role of the family in
society is transmitting cultural values and traditions. Families often pass
down religious, moral, and ethical values and traditions from generation to
generation. These shared values and traditions contribute to the overall
cohesiveness and stability of the larger community.
The family also plays a vital role
in the socialization and education of children. Parents serve as primary
teachers and role models for their children, teaching them the skills and
values necessary for life in society. Parents also provide opportunities for
children to learn in a safe and nurturing environment, which is essential for
the healthy development of children.
FAMILY
TIES
Husband and father, wife and mother, and children, these are the threads that comprise a beautiful family. As each family member is blended into the harmony of the whole unit, an amazing picture of God’s grace, love, and mercy emerges. As each member contributes his part and fulfills his role, a miracle of strength is forged.
UNION OF MARRIAGE
A marriage is much more than two individuals repeating
vows in front of a minister. It is a stage upon which something creative
happens, something that only God can perform. When Eve was first brought to
Adam, he said, “This is now bone of my
bones, and flesh of my flesh: She shall be called Woman, because she was taken
out of
A HOUSE BECOMES A
HOME
A house may be comprised of brick, mortar, and wood, but
the elements that make up a home are love, peace, understanding, security,
unity, and trust. The husband of the virtuous woman mentioned in Proverbs 31:11
trusted in her. Trust is necessary for a house to become a home.
CHILDREN ADD A
NEW DIMENSION
Children are truly the greatest of earthly values. They
are an extension of the family home, the family influence, and the family’s
relationship to God. The psalmist stated that children bring happiness. Bound
up in the heart of our children are the things in life that really matter like
happiness, fulfillment, security, influence, self-esteem, and strength. Such a
blessing are children to a home that Jesus used the character of children to
illustrate how adults should conduct themselves in the
MAINTAINING
FAMILY ROOTS
Today we are facing an unstable society that has severely stressed the home. This instability is most obvious in homes where God is absent and, consequently, there are no unifying spiritual principles upon which the family is built.
Unfortunately it is not only homes in which God is not included that suffer from these common problems. Many of the same pressures have come to bear on the Christian home as well. Many Christian mothers have also taken jobs outside the home, either by choice or by necessity, and the home often suffers the stress that results from this decision. What a joy it is for the children to come home from school to be greeted by a loving mother who has been busy working and praying to see to it that a clean, comfortable, and godly home awaits them! There they will find peace, harmony, security, and love.
No matter how busy they all may be, every family should provide time during each day that the entire family is together. Family roots and harmony are not established and maintained by notes left on the stove or refrigerator door.
FAMILY VALUES
The vast majority of one’s life is spent under the influence of the home. School, church, and jobs affect children in a great way, but all of them combined should not be able to overpower the influence of the home. A child’s value system is fixed at home. The things he loves and hates the things he enjoys and dislike, the things he yields to or resists, these are all established at home.
TOGETHERNESS
One of man’s greatest instincts is the desire to belong. The togetherness that a Christian home breeds fulfills this desire. In Psalm 68:6 the psalmist wrote, “God setteth the solitary in families.” God realized the innate human need for a person to belong to something larger than himself. In times of togetherness, families should always include time for prayer. It has been said, “The family that prays together stays together.” How true, and how greatly needed in our church families and world today!
OPPORTUNITIES
The home is like an observation tower where we each learn from one another, not only by what we hear but also by what we see. The home offers parents the greatest opportunity to influence spiritually their children for good. The home is God’s greatest university. Every family member is sometimes a student and sometimes the professor.
CARING
The foundation of any successful home must include love. Peter admonished the early Christians to have fervent love among themselves (I Peter 4:8). Nowhere should this fervent and unfailing love be more evident than in our homes.
The epistles are filled with instructions as to our relationship with other members of the body of Christ. Often we forget that these same principles apply to our own family as well. We are taught to:
1. Give hospitality one to another without grudging (I Peter 4:9).
2. Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love (Romans 12:10).
3. Honorably prefer one another (Romans 12:10).
4. Be kind one to another (Ephesians 4:32).
FAMILY
GOALS
Joshua lifted up a strong standard and goal for his family when he proclaimed, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” It is important that a family have definite direction.
EVALUATE THE
PRESENT POSITION
There are many questions that should be answered. To name only a few, each family member should ask himself:
1. Is God at the center of this family’s decisions?
2. Is God allowed to guide this family according to His will and purpose?
3. Does each family member contribute positively to the harmony of the home?
SETTING
SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM GOALS
Once the family members have determined their honest needs, they can consider where they want to go from here. And once they have decided their goals, how may they arrive at these goals? Some goals are necessarily long-term goals. Therefore, it is important to set a series of short-term goals that will lead to the ultimate goals.
SPIRITUAL GOALS
FOR THE FAMILY
Planning to retire, mortgages, visit the
OUR CHILD
REPRESENTS THE FUTURE
Jewish parents recognize that every child represents the
Jewish future; and that has actually intensified the community’s appreciation
for children, who are not just loved, but treasured. (Deut. 6:4-9)
The Bible tells us that children are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3). It is the responsibility of parents to raise them correctly. In fact, the value that God has placed on teaching our children the truth is clearly addressed by Moses when he emphasized to his people the importance of teaching their children about the Lord, His commandments and laws (Deut. 6:4-9).
Parents should have the same zeal that Moses had in teaching their children. Parents have been given the privilege of being guardians of their children’s lives for a very short period of time, although the teaching and training they offer is eternal. According to the principles of Proverbs, a child who is diligently trained in the “way he should go” will likely remain faithful to that way in this life and reap its rewards in the life to come. (Prov. 22:6)
GODS ORDER FOR THE FAMILY:
The key to a good marriage is open and honest communication, which is mutual transparency.
Eph. 5:21-25: Just because the Bible tells a wife to respect her husband doesn’t mean this comes naturally. When a wife is taken for granted or mistreated in marriage, especially in the form of abuse, she doesn’t have to respect her husband for it.
Likewise, trust must be earned if it has been broken. Respect must also be earned and not simply granted. A woman doesn’t have to admire character traits that are not in harmony with God or His will.
Children are to honor their parents, regardless of whether or not their parents “deserve” honor. God exhorts us to honor father and mother. He values honoring parents enough to include it in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12) and again in the New Testament: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and your mother, which is the first commandment with promise, so that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:1-3). Honoring parents is the only commandment in Scripture that promises long life as a reward.
Those who honor their parents are blessed. In contrast, those who have a “depraved mind” and those who exhibit ungodliness in the last days are characterized by disobedience to parents (Romans 1:30; II Timothy 3:2).
The way we respect our parents tells a lot about how we show respect to God. Honoring our father and our mother teaches us how to honor God better.
FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION (Joshua 4:21-24, Judges 2:10-12)
We, as parents, have the responsibility to carry God's truth and make sure it is passed on to the next generation (Psalm 102:18). We have an obligation to pass on the stories of what God did for us (Psalm 71:18). God holds us responsible for the spiritual development of our children.
Our children look to us for answers. When they ask you, “What do these stones mean?” what will you tell them? Christianity is always just one generation away from extinction. And every church is just one generation away from closing. If we do not pass on our faith to the next generation, we will have failed in our most important task.
Joshua was not concerned about his generation, he was looking ahead, thinking about the legacy of faith he would pass on to the next generation.
A generation is that group of people who follow their ancestors or the time gap between parents and their children.
This verse links the generation of the parents who brought the children of Israel to the Promised Land with the generation of their children who lived in the Promised Land. The generation that arose did not know God and did not know the works He had done for Israel.
Knowing God goes beyond hearing about God to experiencing God. It is the kind of knowledge that comes through walking with God. The next generation's lack of knowledge of God and His works is an indictment of their parents.
How much we know about God depends largely on the foundation received from our parents and how much our children will know depends on how well we teach them. If our children were to continue our faith, we should invest the time to instruct them and expose them to the things of God. It is a mistake to assume that our children will automatically follow our faith if we do not expose them to the service of God as they grow into adulthood (Proverbs 22:6).
Misconceptions:
1. Children will pick up on our spiritual values simply by being around their parents and the Church. While it is true that values are passed on more than they are taught, if we are not intentional about teaching the why behind the value, they may not understand why faith is important. And let's be honest as parents, our children don't always see our best side; they may pick up on the wrong values, which are manifested in our moments of weakness.
2. It is the job of professionals; that’s what the church is for. Some parents step out of the game, feeling that their lack of knowledge or their previous mistakes disqualify them from being the primary spiritual influence in their children's lives. However, if you know enough of the gospel to believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior, then you know enough to begin influencing your children to believe in Jesus as well. And the reality is that you are far more present in your child's life than any church leader can hope to be.
3: It's not worth the effort. It's true that adolescence is a transitional stage toward independence, which can generate resistance and rebellion against parental wishes.
Opportunities abound for a man and woman who are joined together in marriage. They have the opportunity to forge a strong home that is founded on eternal values. They have the opportunity to rear children that will mirror their consecration and bring blessing to the cause of God.
The
family is a vital institution that provides emotional support, transmits
cultural values and traditions, educates children, and serves as the foundation
for healthy and stable communities. By recognizing the roles and functions of
the family, we can better appreciate the significance of nurturing and
supporting the family unit and promoting healthy family relationships.
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