This article will be part one of a three-part series. We will consider God’s design for the home and family from three perspectives: Divine Wisdom, Divine Holiness, and Divine Love.
The structure of the home and family is under attack. Satan knows that if he can wreck a marriage or distort the validity of the sacred union he will be able to crumble the rest of society. The fault lies with the professing Christian church, which has failed to teach and maintain Biblical teaching and practice.
Divine Wisdom
Beginning in Genesis 1, we learn that God in His wisdom created the entire universe by His almighty power. On the sixth day He created man and woman in His own image and likeness and saw that it was very good (Genesis 1:31).
Gen. 2:20-24 is a very descriptive account of the formation of Adam’s wife, Eve. God saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone. Neither were any of the animals suitable for a companion.
“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
Divine Wisdom cares for the need and welfare of mankind.
A man is incomplete in himself. He needs a spiritual, physical, and emotional counterpart to make life complete. God designed marriage for the happiness, fulfillment, and blessing of the human race. Adam and Eve in their sinless state could enjoy perfect bliss in their oneness with each other and their Creator.
When Adam and Eve sinned, their sin ruined that perfect bliss and oneness. Satan had entered into their lives. Now, instead of perfect trust there was mistrust. Instead of honest transparency and openness there were excuses, hiding, and accusations. Instead of mutual fellowship and sharing, mankind faced discord.
But man was still a man. And man still needed suitable companionship (a help meet). Sin did not disannul marriage or the marriage bond. Sin still brings untold misery into the marriage relationship. However, God provided redemption for sinful man and woman.
God sent His beloved Son who, unlike the first Adam, did not sin. Christ lived a sinless life in the flesh and gave His lifeblood as a perfect sacrifice on Calvary’s cross. In doing so, He provided a remedy so that sinful humanity could again experience victory, restoration, and a right relationship both with the Creator and with each other.
Only in Christ can marriage partners again experience the fullness of bliss that God designed for the marriage and the family unit.
Divine Wisdom established the order of headship.
“Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Genesis 3:16). “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3). “Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement” (1 Peter 3:6). “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body” (Ephesians 5:23).
Order and leadership are essential for efficiency, harmony, and productivity. Man’s place as head of the woman does not make him superior or her inferior. It simply defines roles. Man is responsible to be the provider, protector, guardian, and spiritual leader in the home.
The woman by his side lends her support, encouragement, affection, and cooperation. The submissive wife complementing her husband’s role creates a powerful witness of divine wisdom and order.
Divine Wisdom ordained that children be raised within the home structure.
“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
“I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (1 Timothy 5:14).
“And all thy children shall be taught of the lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children” (Isaiah 54:13).
What a beautiful scene this is! A home with Jesus in the midst, blessing father and mother with children who are happily obeying their parents’ commands. It is a foretaste of heaven.
This comes with a price. The cost is a husband and wife’s denial of themselves, their self-will, self-esteem, self-assertiveness, and pride. It is a total surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ. It is a faith that trusts solely in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to enlighten and illuminate the heart and mind in the truth of God’s Word.
It means identifying and worshiping with other believers who embrace the same Gospel. Together as the family of God, we support, encourage, and submit to one another in the fear of God.
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Romans 11:33, 36).
-by J. Luke Martin