Why is Family So Important to God?
Family is the primary unit of human society. It provides the essential structure for socialization and a base for emotional stability.
Family is also one of the great targets for Satan because he knows that if the family breaks down, the entire society and government will follow suit. So why is the family so important to God?
God’s Plan
God designed families to be the primary source of spiritual training and preparation for life, and for the first channel of blessings and revelation from Him. He also designed families to be the primary source of spiritual productivity for His cause and work in this world.
La Familia De Dios is the place in this world where one can see and understand the principles of God’s kingdom – things like love, order, communion, provision and law. Just by visiting a Christian family, you should be able to get a clear picture of what God is all about.
When God created Adam and Eve, He commanded them to "be fruitful and multiply," and thus to establish the first family and to become the source of all other families on earth. The purpose of the family is to carry on God’s work in this world by providing the physical, emotional and spiritual support for its members. This enables them to continue God’s work and bring glory to Him.
In addition, it is a primary duty for the family to train its children in the ways of the Lord and to raise them as godly citizens of this world and of the next. When a family fails in its duty to do this, it is damaging to God’s kingdom.
It is true that there are unfortunate circumstances that prevent some families from being properly formed and functioning, but it is important to remember that God designed the family for this purpose, and when it is not fulfilled, everyone suffers.
Many couples today seem to forget the importance of this role and neglect to make it a priority in their lives. They instead choose to focus on careers, comfort and pleasure and neglect the very people God created them to nurture. This is a serious sin against God.
Sadly, some Christians even go so far as to violate the concept of family by choosing not to have any children when they could. Those who do this violate the biblical commandments and even nature. They should be careful to ensure that they are practicing holiness and complete dedication to the Lord before they attempt such a thing.
God’s Purpose
The Bible reveals God’s purpose for the family as an essential tool for accomplishing His overall plan. It was God’s idea to create male and female as mates to produce children, then teach them His ways so that they would carry out His kingdom plans on earth.
For example, a father’s role is to nurture his children in the ways of Christ so they will grow to worship Him and become disciple makers. This is accomplished through family worship, reading and exhorting each other, and prayer together in the home. It is also the responsibility of the mother to help her children develop good morals and values, as well as learn about the Bible and serve God with their lives.
The ultimate purpose of a Christian family is to fulfill the prophecy of Genesis 12:3, that “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” This is why every family professing holiness must understand that their chief mission and ministry is their own family. They cannot allow themselves to be distracted by worldly pursuits and ambitions or bogged down with family problems. Instead, they must make the Lord’s program their family program and pursue it diligently and exclusively until they receive a direct call from God to do otherwise.
It is no coincidence that Satan’s greatest strategy for keeping young people and teens from coming to Christ and becoming part of the church is attacking the family system – particularly Christian men. He knows that if he can keep fathers passive and quiet at home, it will be much more difficult for the family to function as a discipling tool.
Another reason why family is important to God is that He made us male and female, with a distinct headship within marriage. This headship is in direct alignment with His Trinitarian relationship, where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all co-equal yet each is clearly delegated an area of authority and leadership. The Bible teaches that the husband and wife are to take this concept into the home as well. This means that a husband should not use his position of power and influence in the home to impose his will on his wife and vice versa.
God’s Will
The family, in God’s sight, is of the utmost importance. If it is damaged in any way, all of human society suffers. God’s plan and purpose for humanity is affected. Satan’s primary objective is to prevent families from fulfilling their role in the Kingdom of God, which means producing morally sound and spiritually mature citizens who will serve Him with diligence. This will require families to teach them God’s ways, and they must do it together. This is why God created the family, and He is angry when it falls apart.
We catch a glimpse of this in Genesis 2, when He creates the family. He speaks galaxies into existence, forms mountains, and plants forests, but He has one more masterpiece to create before He can complete His creation. He creates a wife for Adam, who is “fitting or suitable” for him (Genesis 2:18), and thus the concept of marriage and family begins. Adam needed her not just for procreation, but also to provide support, domestication and harnessing of male aggression, and to give him a new perspective as he began to build civilization.
It is through the family that God’s holy purposes are carried out, and this was never more evident than when He began His great plan of salvation with Abraham and his family. Abraham was chosen as the foundation for God’s plan to bless all nations on earth. And even though Abraham and Sarah were not perfect, God was able to use them to bring His Son into the world.
As believers, we should seek God’s will for our lives first as individuals, but ultimately as families. We should strive to follow God’s plan for us as a couple, and then live out that calling as parents. This includes teaching our children to love and fear the Lord, fostering a biblical worldview, serving others, and spreading the gospel. If we do this, then we will honor God as His people and accomplish His kingdom work here on earth. This will make it possible for His eternal kingdom to come in fullness.
God’s Love
The family is God’s design to enact His purposes. He created a man and woman and unified them as one flesh, which is the basis for the family. He called on them to be fruitful and multiply, to populate the earth. He also gave them dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air and every living thing on the earth (Genesis 1:27). It is the responsibility of each family to do their part to further God’s purpose for the earth.
The Scriptures contain many admonitions to families—such as teaching children to obey their parents, establishing the home as a place of peace and rest, being kind and respectful to one another, honoring husbands and wives, and supporting and helping those who are in need. In some cases, families are disrupted by death or divorce and sometimes even by great sin (Esther 2:7; Matthew 18:21-22). Christians mourn the loss of a family unit when it is broken and offer alternative ways of support for the members—including adoption.
Regardless of how our earthly families may have fallen apart, we are all invited to join the eternal family of God. The song by the Newsboys, “This is the Family of God/Oh, we are Sons and Daughters of the King,” captures this truth. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we are adopted into God’s eternal family—and He is our Father.
The Bible says that “the Lord loveth a cheerful giver.” So, let’s show our family’s appreciation for what the Lord has given us by giving together. Whether it is in formal volunteer work or simply raking the neighbor’s yard, serving others as a family will bring our families closer to each other and to our Heavenly Father. In a world where the breakdown of family is evident, or masked with smiles and sunglasses at soccer games, let’s make sure our families know how much we love and appreciate them. It is the most important choice we can ever make. Amen.
Family is the primary unit of human society. It provides the essential structure for socialization and a base for emotional stability. Family is also one of the great targets for Satan because he knows that if the family breaks down, the entire society and government will follow suit. So why is the family so important…