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The once blurry Spiritual battle lines are becoming clearer as our children grow up. It seems like the more we seek to apply all of Scripture to our family life, the greater the opposition. I suppose this is to be expected. It is surprising to discover where it comes from. But as our little ones grow we begin to see things “through new eyes.” Issues that were peripheral become central. More time is given to the central role of families in the Scriptures. Don’t get me wrong, we are battling through reshaping our lives as we seek to raise godly offspring. This is most difficult. Old habits die hard. Humanistic thought is like a well developed dandelion. The flower may seem pretty, but it is a weed with a deep tap root. It often takes many attempts to pull the whole thing out. Likewise, worldviews are imbedded in our consciences. They run deep. Our thoughts, actions and words are shaped by how we view the world. I suppose changing worldview is like an insect shedding its skin! It hurts! Family life is an integral part of our world and life view. Nations rise and fall upon the strength or otherwise of the family unit. When families seek to apply all of Scripture to all of life churches are strengthened, which in turn develops strong nations. “No church, community, or nation will rise higher than the spiritual condition of its families."^[1] Note the causal effect. Modern Christendom has forgotten this effect. We only dimly realise that the “family is…central to the Biblical way of life."^[2] So much so that four of the ten commandments deal with the family, three of them directly ( Exodus 20:12,14,15,17).

Biblical family structure and functionality rests upon the sovereignty and centrality of God. Christianity’s antithesis chides this. “The humanistic doctrine of the family is man-centered and society-centered."^[3]All anti-Christian worldviews hate Biblically minded families. Margaret Sanger (founder of Planned Parenthood) states it like this; “[t]he most merciful thing a large family can do to one of its infant members is to kill it."^[4] Linda Gordon is also blunt; “[t]he nuclear family must be destroyed, and people must find better ways of living together.”^[5] Family structure has been the battle line for decades now. Humanists have always known that if they break up the Biblical family, society is theirs. The opposition comprehends the power of God-centered families. Simple, faithful obedience to Christ’s Word strikes fear into the hearts of our enemies. They realise the potential of God-centered families. As in the past, strong families can change the world. Simone de Beauvoir declares; “[n]o woman should be authorized to stay at home to raise her children. Society should be totally different. Women should not have that choice, precisely because if there is such a choice, too many women will make that one."^[6]

This series of articles (one) seeks to ignite discussion on the image we are to reflect. As creatures fashioned by our Creator we are image bearers. The image we reflect varies in clarity and focus. As families we either reflect the image of Christ and the church well or poorly. Either the Scriptures shape our theology and practice, or popular culture does. There is no false dilemma here. Our lives are either shaped by the Bible or autonomous man. God or man is crowned king over your life. There is no neutrality, no other option is available. You either glorify God by obedience to His ethics or man through neglecting your responsibilities.

Careful consideration is needed here. We are not seeking to be conservative in lifestyle. Our Christian heritage is undergoing God’s covenantal judgment for accepting “conservative values.” Western, Christian nations are being refined. Greek philosophy and lifestyle is burning up like chaff and being replaced. “Bible eyes” are necessary, not conservative minds. RC Sproul highlights that; “[t]he practice of godliness is a practice that is to be informed by Scripture and tempered by the work of the Holy Spirit within us.”^[7] Our theology impacts how we live and our lifestyle impacts our theology. It is heartbreaking to look into and observe many of the lifestyles of those within the Australian church. Many younger and older persons’ way of life seems to be in antithesis with their confession. In general Christian dress, language, attitudes, ethical standards, relationships, family structures and many other things seem to reflect societal norms not the Scriptures.  Why do most Christians look, think and talk like conservatives or radical lefties? Why can we not visibly discern between the children of God and those of Satan? Why do the children of God seem to look, act and speak like the children of Satan? The answers are complex. I do believe that to start answering such questions we need to examine family structures.

God works in history by covenant (see my article “ethical monsters” for a brief overview of the covenant). He has established an order for all of life. This order is ethical and can be found in the pages of the Old and New Testaments (Covenants). As God’s people we are to turn to these Scriptures to see how we ought to live. To look elsewhere is to build our “house on the sand” ( Matthew 7:26). Every detail of our lives, how we live, should be molded by the Word of God ( 1 Corinthians 10:31). Why? Because we have been bought at a price ( 1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23). Our minds are transformed by the Holy Ghost ( Romans 12:2) and we are now kings and priests to our God ( 1 Peter 2:5-10, Revelation 1:6, 5:10). Jesus entered and opened the way to the Holy of Holies; and so we now serve as royal slaves of God ( Romans 6:14-22). Royal slaves are expected to abide by the commands of the King ( Luke 6:45-47, John 14:15). In reading the Scriptures you cannot escape the covenantal, familial emphasis. Within this structure God uses families to move His kingdom onwards and upwards. So much so that Biblical revival is brought about via the means of families ( Luke 1:17, cf. Malachi 4:4-6). God covenanted Himself to work through Abraham and his descendants ( Acts 3:25, Genesis 17). The Lord perpetually remembers His covenant with Abraham ( Exodus 2:24). He deals graciously with His people because of His promises ( 2 Kings 13:23). In the New Testament nothing changes. God continues to work via families ( Acts 2:38-39), who become heirs of Abraham via adoption in his seed ( Romans 9:6-13). Jesus is the archetype of whom Isaac was the shadow. Abraham faithfully believed that God would resurrect Isaac on the mountain ( Genesis 22:5). Likewise, the Father sacrificed the Son, knowing that Jesus would lay down and take back up His life. The family model is central to God’s salvific plan of redemption and dominion. Our church growth and discipleship mentality must be grounded in a Biblical familial paradigm.

I believe the family should be understood in two major contexts. Firstly, in light of the Godhead. Secondly, within the bounds of Christ’s victorious kingdom. God relates to Himself (and His people) in a covenantal, familial framework. The Father loves the Son, who in turn obeys the Father. The Son saves His people through laying down and taking back up His life. All who are transformed by the Holy Ghost are given the title sons of God ( Romans 8:14). Thus the (“economical”) Godhead is revealed to us in a covenantal familial structure. The language of Scripture is inescapable; we worship one God who is Triune in nature and relates to Himself within the structure of a family.

Jesus established His kingdom in the first century A.D. ( Matthew 12:28, 16:28, cf. Matthew 3:2, 10:7, Mark 1:15, 9:1, Luke 9:27). Christ’s kingdom is not awaiting His second coming. All nations are to be discipled ( Matthew 28), bringing an innumerable number into the body of Christ. This is accomplished through the means of the work of the bride of Christ, the church. A complete kingdom will be given by the Son to the Father at the end of time ( 1 Corinthians 15:24). Christ has won the victory ( 1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Satan is a defeated foe; he has been bound and restricted from deceiving the nations ( Revelation 20, cf. Matthew 12:28-30, Mark 3:26-28). The church has been given the mandate to disciple the nations, baptising them and teaching them to obey the Law of God ( Matthew 28:16-20). How does this relate to families? Well, the relationship of Christ to His people is the archetype to our marriage structure. In other words; our marriages are to reflect the relationship between Christ and His bride ( Revelation 21:1-2), the church ( Ephesians 5:22-33). Our marriages are either a dim or bright reflection of this union. This highlights the covenantal nature of marriage. But what does this mean for us? We will begin to explore this question over the course of a number of articles. I will look at the husband, wife and children’s roles and responsibilities within the God-centered family. But first I need to highlight some marriage theology for you. This may seem tedious, but a firm foundation for marriage is needed to be able to explore how we ought to live.

The following five points give a brief outline for the foundations of marriage.

1. Genesis 2makes it clear that Adam did not find a suitable helper among the animals. It is not good for man to be alone and so God forms a wife for Adam from part his side. Adam then names his wife “woman,” which means from man. Thus marriage is clearly between a man and a woman. Not a man and a man or a man and an animal or a woman and a woman. This reflects the relationship between the Christ (masculine) and His bride (the effeminate church). From the first pages of Scripture homosexuality and bestiality are forbidden. Scripture defines marriage, not society or politicians.

2. Man was created and then female from man. Adam called his wife woman as she was from his flesh. Woman was made to be man’s helper and companion. Thus one of the wife’s primary responsibilities is to help her husband fulfill what God has commanded him to do. Paul reaffirms this in 1 Corinthians 11:8-9; “for man was not created from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.” Thus woman was created for man, to be his helper to the end of glorifying God. 

3. In Genesis 3we are told the husband has authority over his wife. Paul extrapolates this in Ephesians 5. The husband is described as the head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church. This is not a position achieved through a power struggle; or through the wife saying “I give you authority over me;” or by the husband demanding this authority. No; it is the reality of how God has ordained the relationship between husband and wife. God has given man the responsibility of being the head of his wife and the woman the responsibility of submitting to her husband. Husbands are to be a covering for their wife, protecting, upholding, strengthening and guiding her. This reflects the image of the covenant between Christ and His bride.

4. Genesis 1tells us that husband and wife are to be fruitful, multiply and subdue the earth. Man (that is male and female) is given dominion over all of the earth and creatures. Malachi 2:13-14 states; “the Lord was witness between you and your wife of your youth,…, she is your companion and wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring.” Procreation is one of the fundamental reasons for marriage. God is seeking to extend the church via godly offspring. This must shift our focus from evangelising everyone else’s children and families to mothers and fathers disciplining (which includes evangelising) the children God has blessed them with. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 7:14that children in a household with one believing parent are “holy,” set apart to serve God. Therefore, consider your children as set aside to bring glory to God. Hence, Adam called his wife Eve ( Genesis 3:20). Eve means life bearer and she was the mother of the living through child bearing. 

5. 1 Corinthians 7:2-5 tells us that; “because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body but the wife does. Do not deprive one another.” Marriage has been designed to protect against sexual immorality. It creates a safe haven where godly sexual relations can be enjoyed between husband and wife. The confines of the marriage bed is for enjoyment and protection.

Trev McCallum

Published in : Worldviews, Worldviews

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