Family What is Gods plan for the family

Family What is God’s plan for the family structure?

God’s Plan for the Family • If we look around our society today we see God’s plan for the family under attack on many different sides. • Satan has had a great deal of success in tearing down the family structure in the country over the last 50 -60 years. • Over this relatively short period of time we have seen sins that once carried an amount of shame become common place and acceptable in our society.

God’s Plan for the Family • As a direct result of Satan’s effectiveness in tearing down the family, numbers have skyrocketed in: • Unwed mothers • Divorce: in 2008, there were 877, 000 divorces in the US • Couples living together: Survey women showed nearly 50% lived with someone outside of marriage between 2006 -2010. • Homosexual unions • Abortion: 1. 2 million in 2008 • Teenage mothers: In 2008, nearly 750, 000 teen pregnancies

Each year the federal government spends approximately $40, 000, 000. 00 to help families that began with a teenage mother

God’s Plan for the Family • We could give several lessons on why these terrible conditions exist in this country. • I believe it can all be summed up by saying man has deviated from God’s plan for the family. • If man would simply stick to God’s plan then almost all of these problems could be completely wiped out! • We will spend the next few moments looking at what the Word of God has to say about the family structure.

God’s Plan for the Family • The husband wife relationship is the foundation of the family structure. • God has always intended from the very beginning was for this to be one man and one woman. • Mt 19: 3 ¶ The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason? “

God’s Plan for the Family • 4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female, ‘ • 5 "and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?

God’s Plan for the Family • We see here that God’s plan for marriage is to be between a man and a woman. • A husband a wife not a husband or a wife and a wife. • God has never intended for two people of the same sex to be married. • This has always been an abomination in the eyes of God!

God’s Plan for the Family • Jude says this is the reason for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah under the Law of the Patriarchs. • Jude 1: 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

God’s Plan for the Family • This sin was condemned under the Law of Moses. • Le 18: 22 'You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. • It is most certainly condemned under the Law of Christ today!

God’s Plan for the Family • Ro 1: 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. • 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

God’s Plan for the Family • We live in a society where this sin is promoted at every turn. • It is seen on television • In the movies • In our politicians • In our schools • In our country’s legislation

God’s Plan for the Family • In 2015 the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of homosexual’s right to marry. • Make no mistake this is an abomination in the eyes of God! • 1 Co 6: 9 ¶ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

God’s Plan for the Family • 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. • God’s plan for marriage is a man and a woman. No other type relationship is acceptable before God in the marriage bond.

God’s Plan for the Family • Let’s go back to Matthew 19. • Mt 19: 5 "and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? • 6 "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. "

God’s Plan for the Family • We see that God’s plan for the family includes a husband wife that are bound together for life. • This is not a relationship to be entered into thinking “if I don’t like it I can just get a divorce” • The husband wife relationship is one bound together by God Himself! • Remember what Jesus said “what God has joined together, let not man separate. “

God’s Plan for the Family • Jesus will give the only exception to that rule in a couple of verses. • But we need to be sure to understand the permanence of this relationship. • The divorce rate in this country proves many people do not understand this is a life long commitment. • Remember what the Pharisees asked back in verse 3? • "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason? “

God’s Plan for the Family • After teaching God’s plan is for a man and woman to be married for life, Jesus gives the only acceptable reason for divorce in the eyes of God, fornication. • Mt 19: 7 They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away? " • 8 He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

God’s Plan for the Family • 9 "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery. “ • Only under these circumstances can a person divorce their mate and be free to remarry in the eyes of God. • This is quite a contrast from what we see in this country today. A couple can be divorced for any number of reasons and for no reason at all.

God’s Plan for the Family • We also see in God’s plan for the family a system of authority in the husband wife relationship. • God’s plan is for the husband to be the head of the household. • This is not what we would call “politically correct” today but this does not change what God has said. • Eph 5: 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

God’s Plan for the Family • 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. • 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. • God placed the husband in the leadership role of the family and He will hold the husband responsible for fulfilling that role. • God will also hold the wife responsible if she takes the leadership role for herself.

God’s Plan for the Family • Paul also describes how the husband is to deal with his wife in this relationship. • Eph 5: 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, • 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, • 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

God’s Plan for the Family • 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. • 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. • The husband should love his wife more than his own life. • This is how Christ loved the Church. He was willing to die for it!

God’s Plan for the Family • Husbands should “love” their wives. • Love is more than just a warm feeling that we have. Love is action. • 1 Co 13: 4 ¶ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; • 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; • 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

God’s Plan for the Family • 1 Co 13: 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. • A couple of phrases here that stick out to me are. • “Love suffers long and is kind” • The husband will be patient and kind with his wife. • Love “does not seek its own” • The husband who loves his wife will not be looking out for his own best interest but will be doing what is best for his wife.

God’s Plan for the Family • What a different world this would be if every husband would just love their wife like this. • Lets go back and see how Paul finishes up Galatians 5 • Eph 5: 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. • 31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. "

God’s Plan for the Family • 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. • 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. • When the husband fulfills his role as the leader of the family as God intends he will not be coarse and abusive, hateful and mean but instead he will patient, gentle, loving and kind.

God’s Plan for the Family • Paul also includes children and their responsibilities to their parents. • Col 3: 18 ¶ Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. • 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. • 20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

God’s Plan for the Family • It is God’s plan for the children to obey their parents. • How many children over the years have gotten into terrible, life changing, destructive situations because they did not listen to their parents. • Children need to understand Christian parents have the wisdom that comes from life experience and the word of God that a young person simply does not possess. • Wisdom simply defined means being able to see the end from the beginning.

God’s Plan for the Family • Paul gives similar admonition to children in Ephesians 6 • Eph 6: 1 ¶ Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. • 2 "Honor your father and mother, " which is the first commandment with promise: • 3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. “ • Obedience to parents is what God wants.

God’s Plan for the Family • Some may think I missed a verse back in Colossians. • God also has a plan for the father to deal with his children. • Col 3: 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. • Eph 6: 4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

God’s Plan for the Family • What a great responsibility is placed upon parents in the raising of children. • Paul places the ultimate responsibility on the father to train and correct his children in such a way that they are able to accept it. • “Provoke not your children to wrath” doesn’t mean you should never make your children mad at you. • Children will become upset with a parent because they are not allowed to do what they want.

God’s Plan for the Family • Fathers Should: • Not be coarse or abusive physically or verbally • Maintain control in their anger. • Not be impossible to please. • Know when enough punishment is enough. • Train their children how to follow God and convince them how important that is. • These are responsibilities placed on them by God

God’s Plan for the Family • Many times fathers find themselves with these responsibilities when they are not much more than children themselves. • Even with the best of intentions fathers sometimes fail in these areas miserably. Just imagine how difficult it is for children whose parents are not guided by these principles. • These are just some of God’s plan for the family.

Conclusion • Mankind thru the years has gotten farther and farther from God’s plan for the family. • We can see the devastating results of this in the society in which we live. • Think of all the hurt and sorrow that could be avoided in this life if we would only follow His plan. • We must follow God’s plan if we want to avoid hurt and sorrow in the life to come!

Conclusion • Only a man and woman are to marry • The husband must assume his role as the head of the family • The wife is to respect her husband • The husband is to love his wife • The wife is to love her husband • The children should obey their parents