God’s purpose and design for the family began in Genesis 1 where His Word tells us that He created humanity in His image (Genesis 1:26). We also see that God ordained the institution of marriage between one man and one woman (Genesis 1:27–28). Finally, we read about God ordaining the institution of family (Genesis 2:23–25). It is important that we follow God’s purpose and design as it relates to marriage and the family, for severe consequences result when we diminish or redefine these godly institutions.
The biblical model for the family serves as a cultural microcosm. As stated in the previous blog on people, healthy, godly families allow for the church to be healthy and Christ-like. When the church is full of healthy families, it is able to also have a healthy impact on the local community and the surrounding culture for the cause of Christ. The biblical worldview reveals the family as the foundation of society. It’s been said, “A society can survive the miseries of corruption, violence, and crime, but if the family falls apart, the collapse of society is inevitable.” Our society is disintegrating; it is eroding from within and constantly being externally attacked by the world.
From within, the family is being destroyed by the lack of a biblical worldview. Which is then played out in a variety of worldly vices. One key symptom that leads to the disintegration of the family is systemic fatherlessness. In America, we have an alarming rate of fathers leaving the home to satisfy their own selfish desires, or in other cases, there are fathers that are in the home that are absent spiritually, emotionally, and/or mentally. We have men who are not fulfilling their God given roles as leader and provider. When this happens, we see greater levels of depression, as well as alcohol and drug abuse within the family. Other consequences of systemic fatherlessness are diminished levels of education and increased levels of poverty.
Some external attacks on the family come from the act of redefining marriage thus redefining the family. This redefining of terms comes from many sectors but specifically from the Supreme Court and college academia.
The further the family deviates from God’s purpose and design, the further it descends into the moral abyss. All of this may sound bleak and depressing, but there is hope. There is always hope wherever Jesus dwells. Our focus on Fight for Your Family (FFYF), at its core, is ultimately seeking to restore the family to God’s purpose and design. My prayer for each of you is that FFYF will not just be a short-lived, 10-week emphasis, but that it will become a marriage-strengthening, family-transforming, culture-shaping, Christ-honoring lifestyle for you and your family. Stand firm in your faith and lead your family to do the same.