Over the past several weeks, and with the sermon from the 25th of April and May 2nd we have spent a decent amount of time talking about the Christian family. What roles husbands, wives, children, and fathers and mothers have in God’s Kingdom. Of the many reasons it is important to ensure that we are following Christ’s commandments on this is because the fallen world around us is doing everything it can to lie to our young people (and old people) about what is to be expected in life. So much confusion and sadly, destruction has come from the loss of a Biblical understanding of the family.
As a man I have to admit that the reason for this downgrade is largely to be placed at the feet of husbands and fathers. Either through benign neglect or just laziness we have not taken the reigns like we should have in leading our families in the things of the Lord. Now, there are obviously many men among our number to whom this does not apply; who have worked diligently to do the hard work of making sure their wives and children are fed with God’s Word and are with the Lord’s people in Sabbath School and Lord’s Day Worship. If the doors of the Church were open you and your home were present. These men should be commended and praised for their love for the covenant community, both of blood and spirit.
However, the reality in the world around us is that unfortunately these kinds of Fathers and Husbands have not been the majority. A central reason for why we see the rise in crime, fatherlessness, and broken homes is precisely because these boys who have become dads were not rightly prepared by their own Fathers for this work.
This is why it is so important not only for Godly men to raise Godly children, but for the Church to model for society why this is so vital for life. Our Lord in His wisdom called on Israel to be a light unto the nations so that they could see how much greater the God of Israel was in comparison to the false deities of the surrounding tribes. Fathers and Husbands in the faith must take up this mantle of responsibility and lead in deed not just in word. If you want your children to grow up in the fear and admonition of the Lord then you need to do likewise in your own life.
Another aspect of what Paul has laid out in this part of Ephesians is expanded on in his letters to Timothy and Titus. There the apostle asks his young protégés to remind the young ladies and the older ladies that they are to help one another grow in Christ (1 Tim 5:1-16, Titus 2:1-7). A way this took place was by the young mothers being taught by the older moms. Now, notice this was not done in haughtiness or arrogance, but out of love and concern to make sure that the old paths were not being neglected. This is part of the reason why it is needed that the younger ladies be involved together with the older ladies in building one another up in Biblical, rather than cultural, teaching. God has ordered these things for our blessing, to help each of us grow more like Christ together. The Church is a mutual aid society and we can’t be helping one another if we are not seeking that fellowship, and not humbling ourselves to know we need help.
Blessings in Him,
Rev. Benjamin Glaser
Pastor, Bethany ARP Church