The Family, a Divine Gift of God

THE PURPOSE OF A CHRISTIAN FAMILY:

Why did God institute the family ?

God has specific plans and purposes for His ordained family.

(i)   For Fellowship and Companionship:

Fellowship and companionship between the husband and wife was the prime concern of God. Eve was created for Adam’s constant companion and happiness. After God had created Eve by taking out one of Adam’s ribs and closing it with flesh of him, He brought her unto Adam(Gen2:22) who alone was a helper fitted to. It was God’s will that Adam and Eve should live together for each other with faith and tenderness in the fear of the Lord, living for God and for His glory. Eve was taken out of Adam’s side near his heart not from head to rule over nor from feet to be trampled upon so that Eve would remain always with Adam to be loved, to be cared for and protected. Ecc9:9; Ez5:22; IPet 3:7; Eph 5:25

(ii)For Procreation:

In Gen. 1:28, after God had created male and female He blessed them and said to them, ”Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.”

This was God’s first word to His newly created couple. Thus procreation of children and establishing a home was one of the prime reason why God instituted marriage. This is also the reason why God primarily created the sexual function for man. See Gen 15:5

(iii)The Family, A Dwelling Place of God.

God created both man and woman in His own image(Gen.1:27). It means that man and woman should reflect the very image and glory of God. God was always with Adam and Eve and wanted to live with them when they were in the garden of Eden. A Christian family is in fact a household of God which is the dwelling place of God Himself.

IICor.6:16-18 says,

I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God……….will be a Father…….and ye shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

The picture here is of a household. The people of God, i.e. the Church is liken to a household. In the same way , each family is also a household of God . God instituted the family because God wanted to live within the family.

(iv)The Family, the Glory of God.

As the dwelling place of God, the family of God should glorify the name of God. As such there should be light to guide and there should be the sweet fragrance of Christ unto the world . The world should see the “Shekianah” glory of God through the family.

(v)The Family, the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

The family ordained by God is a temple of the Holy Spirit. ICor.3:16 says,

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwell within you?”

ICor. 6:19 says,

“What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you?”

This is a revealing truth that the children of God are the temple of the Holy God and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. A Christian family is a believer’s family. The Holy Spirit lives within. Therefore, the fruits of the Spirit such as love, joy, long suffering, peace, forgiveness, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance, etc. should abound in the family(Gal.5:22). This is in fact the Kingdom of God where Christ Himself rules the family as the King with peace and righteousness.

(vi)The Family, the Centre of Divine Worship:

Another prime concern of God for the family is that He wants the family become the centre of divine worship.

“speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto d and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of the Lord. Eph 5:19,20

The family of Joshua and the family of Cornelius are good examples of God fearing Christian family. A Christian family may well be described as the following-

It is a worshiping family, Jos 24:15

It is a praying family, Acts 10:1-2,22

It is a praising family, Acts 10:1-2

It is a serving family, Jos 24:15; Act 10:1-2

It is a giving family. Acts 10:2

It is a witnessing family, like that of Aquila and Priscilla Acts 18:2

(vii) The Family, a Good Steward of God :

The family of God is a Spiritual Training Ground. God wants that the Home should become a good steward of God. We are only a steward in this world. Everything belongs to God. God gives us children. Ps 127:3 says ,

“Children, the heritage of the Lord.”

It is therefore, important that we bring them up in the fear of the Lord and His wisdom. The Scriptures have much to say in this regard.

“For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children. That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born who should arise and declare them in their hope in God , and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.” Ps 78:5-7 see also Deut 6:7; Prov 22:6; Tit 2:4