Family is something beautiful, but sadly, the integrity of the family has suffered greatly in recent years. Our families seem to be falling by the wayside to the hussel and bussel of life. Parents are too busy for their children. Spouses can't find time for one another. Children are left to bring themselves up, and thus have no respect or concern for the authority of their parents. The end result, our nation is suffering, for a nation can only be as strong as the homes that are in it.
The Bible provides much council on how a family ought to be run. If only we would consult and heed God's word, we would have strong, stable families. Instead, our society has 'redesigned' the family -- single parents homes, same-sex couples, etc.. Yett, when God organized the family, it consisted of one father, one mother and children brought to that union. Many of today's 'families' lack this structure, and thus all involved suffer. Oh, that we would realize God's matchless wisdom in the family structure.
Each member of the family has a God given task. Parents are responsible for discipline and godly upbringing of their children. The Scriptures require that children be brought up "...in the training and admonition of the Lord." Sadly, some parents take hold of neither responsibility, and thus raise rebellious and unruly children.
For those parents who desire to bring up their children in a godly manner, our society has made doing so increasingly difficult. God's word declares, "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him early." It is certainly Biblical and right for parents to use corporal punishment. However, our society has deemed it wrong, classing it as abuse. Any who resort to such means of correction live under the threat of discipline by the authorities. Is it any wonder that the morality of our nation is increasingly worse, seeing that those who would bring their children up to be respectable members of society have their hands tied? | If we had homes today where mothers raised their children, where fathers trained them in the ways of the Lord, where children respected and heeded their parents, and where spouses rendered to one another the love due, we would see our nation flourish. |
Children need to realize their responsibility in the family. The apostle Paul wrote, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother', which is the first commandment with promise: 'that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.'" God provides no fancy explanation of why children ought to obey their parents. He simply states, "...for this is right."
A man and woman have responsibilities one to the other. The husband is commanded by God's word to love his wife, "...even as Christ also loved the church..." She is not a servant, but a helpmeet. She is part of a union brought together by love. May we husbands never lose sight of such. Concerning the woman, the Scriptures say, "Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies." The woman ought to "...be a crown to her husband..." bringing honor to him.
If we had homes today where mothers raised their children, where fathers trained them in the ways of the Lord, where childre respected and heeded their parents, and where spouses rendered to one another the love due, we would see our nation flourish. So long as man departs from the plan of God, homes will continue to fall apart. Let us endeavour to have homes which are patterned after God's plan. Homes which are a unit, working together, not against one another.
Click here for this week's Answering The Atheist
Who were the sons of Benjamin? Genesis 46:21, Numbers 26:38-40, 1 Chronicles 7:6 and 1 Chronicles 8:1-2 do not agree. Is there a contradiction?
