Category Archives: family

The Beauty of Family

God created the institution of the family (Gen. 2:18ff). Nothing God created could ever be ugly or bad as long as it continues to function as God created it. Moses affirmed that all that God had made was “very good” (Gen. 1:31). The core of the family is the male husband and the female wife. Paul described the relationship between the husband and wife as a “mystery” (Eph. 5:32). The underlying Greek word “musterion” might be translated something like a “plan.” Marriage, therefore, is the great plan by God for the propagation of the human race and for the spiritual, mental and physical development of all members in that family and, consequently, society. Destroy the family, and society follows after.

God’s command to the man and woman at creation was to “be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth” (Gen. 1:28). Children, then, are an integral part of God’s plan for the family. “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:3-5). “Children’s children are the crown of old men” (Prov. 17:6).

It used to be that large families were quite normal. Now “feminism” and other left-leaning ideologies have polluted our culture and poisoned the minds of many as to what the roles of men and women are in the home and in society. Indeed, attempts are currently being made by the left to destroy the very concepts of male and female. America and the world has been sickened by this poison which is promoted daily on television, radio and in print and in the schools. The antidote to cure this sickness is to infuse back into the church and the nation biblical principles of identity, family governance and authority.

It is the responsibility of the parents to bring up their own children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:3). In every facet of life, fathers bear the responsibility to diligently instruct their children in the word of the Lord (Deut. 6:6,7). Mothers are also responsible for the rearing of the children in the way of the Lord (II Tim. 3:14,15; 1:5). When these instructions and this guidance fail, the child’s future is imperiled and the family is destabilized. Obedience to parental guidance, blesses the child and, generally, ensures a long and prosperous life (Prov. 1:8,9; Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1,2). Disobedience to one’s parents is a recipe for personal, social and spiritual doom.

Love is the powerful bond that holds the family together. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25). A man, a husband, should love his wife even to the point of giving his life for hers, just as Christ did for the church. There is no greater love than this (John 15:13). The Christian’s love never fails (I Cor. 13:1-8). A husband is to love his wife as his own body (Eph. 5:28). The love between the husband and wife must be this kind of love in order for the family to prosper and endure as it should.

Children are to be obedient to their parents (Eph. 6:1,2). When children are taught the truth correctly, they grow up to be faithful all of their lives (Prov. 20:6). There really is no better, more satisfying life than the Christian life (John 10:10). Those that trust in the Lord find a life of contentment, happiness and peace. It not only has blessings in this life, but especially in the world to come (Mark 10:30). Good, obedient children make productive, serious adults. Productive, serious adults result in a productive, stable society.

It is in the family that wonderful memories are made and character is built. Nothing is more precious than quality time spent together, forming lasting memories of good times. The special times between a husband and wife draw them closer and bring them to better understand one another. The parent’s time with their children is not only an investment in their own legacy but also a foundation being laid for their child’s spiritual, moral and physical development. These times don’t have to be particularly exotic or different. They can just be time spent in one another’s company at dinner discussing the issues of the day or after dinner playing games. It does not matter much what it is. The key is time spent together doing things together.

It is not a coincidence that one of the ways in which God’s people are described is in terms of a “family” (Eph. 3:15). God is the Father and we are His children (Matt. 6:9). We are brothers and sisters in Christ (Heb. 3:1; Luke 8:21). As a family we share each other’s burdens, and pains and sorrows (Gal. 6:2). We weep with those that weep and rejoice with them that rejoice (Rom. 12:15). When one member suffers, they all suffer; when one is honored, all are (I Cor. 12:26). We are honest with one another and try to resolve our differences, when they arise (Eph. 4:25,26).

The Christian family is a safe and sacred place, a haven of rest for the weary soul, a covert from the storm. It is an island of safety in a tempestuous sea and a strong and impregnable fortress of against the enemies of the light and all that is good. It is a fountain of life and hope for the weak and weary and a tree of life for the hungry and thirsty soul. It is simply a foretaste of heaven.

A beautiful thing is the family.

Attacks Upon The Family

God created the family and it is a sacred institution (Gen. 2:18-20). God designed man so that he shall leave his father and mother–that is, leave their local, protective care, not necessarily their moral influence–and cleave to his own wife so that they become one flesh and begin a new family (Gen. 2:21-25). It is within the parameters of the marital relationship that men and women are to be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:27,28). It is the parent’s responsibility to rear their children in the context of the family in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Deut. 6; Eph. 6:4).

This arrangement is of divine origin (Matt. 19:5). One of the blessings of this order is to provide a protective environment for the rearing of children in the way they should go (Prov. 2:1-5; 22:6). The husband and wife provide moral and spiritual support for one another (Eph. 5:21) and both, ideally, work together in the bringing up of the child (cf. Luke 2:51). The world, however, is hostile toward those who walk in righteousness and this is never more apparent than when seen in the vicious attacks upon the family as God created it.

Historically, in our modern, western culture, the devil attacked the family by attacking the institution of marriage itself. Of course, in ancient times, all sorts of sexual perversions were rampant in the pagan cultures and God’s people were commanded to avoid those heinous sins (cf. e.g., Lev. 18). But since the establishment of Christianity, God’s design for the family was largely followed by those in the west influenced by the Judeao-Christian ethic. The brunt of the attack on the family since was focused largely on promoting illegitimate children and illicit lifestyles.

But more recently, the devil has attacked the family by again promoting the notion of homosexuality as normal. Such sins have always been around, of course (cf. Rom. 1:24-28). But only recently, in our modern, western culture, has it become so out in the open and so flagrant. Up until 1974, homosexuality was treated as and pronounced to be a mental sickness by the American Psychiatric Association. Now you cannot watch a commercial or listen to the radio without first being fed a sickening dose of homosexuality. The propaganda has been so effective that now one is considered abnormal who does not condone such sickening behavior. Those who speak against it are condemned as intolerant.

But since then, the devil has pushed to make it commonplace to see two men or two women acting the part of a husband and wife. However, nature itself teaches us that two men or two women do not go together as husband and wife for they cannot naturally produce children. God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve, as the saying goes. Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities were destroyed because, among other things, in practicing homosexuality, they were going after “strange flesh” and did “wickedly” (Gen. 19:7). The Lord has condemned homosexuality as an abomination that was worthy of death under the Old Covenant (Lev. 20:13). Paul said by inspiration that these abusers of themselves with mankind will not inherit the kingdom of God (I Cor. 6:9,10).

Incredibly, in August of 2016, Barrack Obama “ordered 9,000-plus federal buildings across the United States [to] allow biological men into women’s bathrooms, locker rooms and showers.” This came after the Department of Education under the Obama administration had already advised schools to allow “transgender students access to bathrooms and locker rooms designated for the opposite biological sex.” All of this was presumably based on a novel interpretation of the Civil Rights Act. However, it was nothing but a further attempt to erase the God-given design for the family. Sadly, it has literally put many defenseless women and children at risk because they are at the mercy of violent sex offenders and other perverts.

Another sordid and sick attempt to destroy God’s design for the family has been to promote sex change surgery and blur the clear, immutable line between male and female. Bruce Jenner is perhaps the most notable and pathetic example in our time. Men and women are being encouraged to disfigure their bodies chemically and surgically and are being hurt emotionally and spiritually while the rest of society is made to feel guilty for opposing such sick behavior.

Another of the attacks the devil is using to destroy God’s design for the family is to use men dressed as women to read to children in libraries. Actually, when I say they are dressed as women that is quite misleading, for many if not most of these people are dressed as bizarre, even demonic, creatures. Those involved in these efforts specifically target children for the stated purpose of normalizing this bizarre behavior. It is an attempt to warp the mind of the young and get children to accept the idea that God’s way is not right.

Many are the perversions satan is using to destroy the family. It should not really surprise us. The family is a powerful tool to bring up the young in the way that they should go. It is no wonder that the devil is desperately trying to do everything in his power to destroy the family. May we, in turn, do all we can to promote God’s created order in the family and thereby strengthen the church and perhaps save our nation and culture.

Eric L. Padgett

Tribute to my Father

Fathers play an immensely important role in the family and in the rearing of children. Fathers are responsible for bringing up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Sadly, our society is reaping the fruit of fatherless families or families where the father doesn’t care. Fathers are worthy of honor (Ex. 20:12). Some of us have great fathers, others not so great. I want to honor my great father with this simple poem I’ve written.

I need you now more than ever, Dad,
When things all around me start going bad.
I need your advice and your guidance, too,
When I alone can’t figure out just what to do.

I need to hear you say, “How are you, son.”
When I have fought some battle but haven’t won.
I need to hear you say, “It’ll be alright.”
When I have failed some how and feel uptight.

I need to hear you sing when you greet the day,
Your voice reassures and drives my fears away.
I need to hear you laugh and see you smile,
When I have been feeling down and sad awhile.

I need you now Dad and I’m thankful, too,
For all the little things you say and do.
I need you to teach me all I haven’t learned,
When I have been lazy and unconcerned.

I need you now Dad and I always will,
And I hope you know just how I feel.
I need you to know what you mean to me,
A greater father there could never be.

I need you now Dad as I always do,
To help me get along and see me through.
I need you and in my heart you’ll always be,
Because you are so precious and so dear to me.
Copyright 2015 Eric L. Padgett

There Arose Another Generation

“And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which He had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10).

Between January 8 through February 5, 2014, the Barna Group conducted a telephone and online State of the Bible Survey of 2,034 adults in the continental United States regarding the views of Americans on such subjects as perceptions of the Bible, Bible penetration, Bible engagement, Bible literacy, moral decline and social impact and giving to nonprofit organizations. This study was commissioned by the American Bible Society. There was some encouraging news as well as some discouraging news coming from this study.

The one consolation is that the Bible is still highly regarded in America. “When asked to name the books that come to mind when they consider sacred literature or holy books, Americans overwhelmingly name the Bible (79%). This proportion is more than seven times the popularity of the next most frequently mentioned holy book, the Koran (12%).” However, over the last four years, 7% fewer Americans have regarded the Bible as sacred and 4% more Americans regarded the Koran as sacred.

What the study reveals, however, is that those who are identified as “Millennials” (those who are aged 18-29 according to this study) are the ones who are driving this decline in respect for the Bible. While 50% of all Americans believe the Bible has too little influence on society, only 30% of Millennials hold this view. Only 16% of all Americans believe the Bible has too much influence. Furthermore, while 88% of American households own a Bible, this number is down from 92% in 1993. While the number of Bibles owned per household is 4.7–and this is up slightly from 4 years ago–only 15% say they read the Bible daily. Fifty-three percent read the Bible only 3 to 4 times a year. Again, only 40% of Millennials read the Bible while 66% of those who are 68 years and older read the Bible.

Another disturbing trend is that the readership of the venerated King James Version has decreased from 45% in 2011 to 34% in 2014. But the good news is the Kings James Version is still the preferred Bible translation in America. “Far fewer say they prefer the New International Version (13%) or the New King James Version (10%). The English Standard version is read by 6% of Bible readers, while the New Living Translation is read by 4%. All other translations were mentioned by 3% or fewer Bible readers.” But, again, it is the Millennials who prefer the Kings James Version less than other age groups.

According to another study by Pew Research, 68% of Millennials support “same-sex marriage.” “Millennials are easily the most godless generation of Americans, with 29 percent saying they are not affiliated with any religion and 11 percent saying they do not believe in any god at all, as compared to Gen Xers who are 6 percent atheist. As faith goes, only 58 percent of Millennials are sure of their beliefs, compared to 69 pecent of Gen Xers.” (“Millenials Most Godless and Politically Independent  Generation“)

What these studies reveal is that it is imperative that we start working on instilling a different attitude toward the word of God in our young people. One generation is all it takes for complete apostasy to occur. The only way to account for the current decline in the younger generation is that, unfortunately, parents are no longer rearing their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Parents are no longer teaching diligently unto their children the words that the Lord has spoken (Deut. 6:5,6). Neither are congregations preaching the word of God and emphasizing doctrinal soundness from the pulpit or the Bible classes but are instead teaching a “be happy, don’t worry” philosophy. Press too much doctrine and you are accused of being divisive.

I am sorry to say this, but I believe the church of the Lord in America is in bad shape. (America, itself, is in bad shape and no one can seem to stop the decline.) The traditional, biblical answers to traditional criticisms of the Word of God have been forgotten or, even worse, discarded by many. Whereas the Lord’s church used to be the place to go for Bible answers, too few today in the Lord’s church know the Bible well enough to provide those answers.

We must renew our commitment to studying and preaching and living the Word of God. We must teach them diligently to our own children with a renewed sense of urgency lest they forget the works He has done for Israel.

Eric L. Padgett

A Good Father

“The greatest gift I ever had came from God, I call him Dad”

good-father

The Bible teaches that several factors go into making a good father.

First, a good father Forges the character of his children. Prov. 22:6 states that if we train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it. The idea is to dedicate the child to the Lord, just as the temple was dedicated to the Lord (I Kings 8:63; II Chron. 7:5). The only way for this to be accomplished is for the father, himself, to be dedicated to the Lord. A father once told me, near tears, that he could not understand why his child was unfaithful because he, the father, did not drink, swear, hurt anyone, etc. But it takes so much more than merely not doing things as a parent. A good father will bring his children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:1-3). A good father forges, molds, and shapes the character of his children.

Second, a good father Administers proper discipline. One of the hardest things for a parent to do is to discipline a child. The old saying, “This hurts me more than it does you” may seem trite or quaint but it is literally true for a good parent. A father who loves his children does everything in his power to keep his children from harm and so it may seem counter-intuitive to discipline them, but this is sometimes necessary. The Bible teaches that the rod of correction will harm them much less than some evil way they might live (Prov. 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13,14). Eli failed this test as a father because he chose not to restrain his children even though they had made themselves vile (I Sam. 3:13). Because of this, God said he was going to perform a thing upon Eli’s house which would cause the ears of those who heard it to tingle (I Sam. 3:11-14).

Third, a good father Teaches his children about God. The children of Israel were to teach God’s word “diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates” (Deut. 6:7-9). Every waking moment was to be spent in teaching their children about God’s will. They were to make every word a lesson and every deed an illustration. Their faith was not to be superficial, not intermittent, not only when it was convenient. It was to be real, consistent and tangible. When fathers do not live this way, apostasy is only a generation away (Jud. 2:10).

Fourth, a good father Hearkens unto his child’s needs. Sometime parents do not listen to their children’s cries or do not know how to recognize them. Many children have done something reckless and even deadly because the parents could not recognize a desperate cry for help. Jesus said even an evil father knows how to give good things to a child that requests it (Matt. 7:9-11). Many times fathers project onto their sons what they wanted for themselves, maybe forcing them into a life they would not choose. This is sad when it happens and only alienates father and son later in life. But a good father will listen to his children, not just giving them anything they want, but listen to understand what they truly need. A man who does not provide for his house is worse than an infidel (I Tim. 5:8).

Fifth, a good father Entreats God in prayer on behalf of his children. The Bible says Job went to God often for his children. “It was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually” (Job 1:5). How powerful it is when a family prayers to God together! How powerful it is for children to see their father on his knees in prayer to God, with tears, for their spiritual and physical welfare. The old saying is true: The family that prays together stays together.

Finally, a good father Rejoices in his children. A good father recognizes that children are a gift from God (Psalm 127). To be responsible for the souls and lives of such precious little children, to see them grow into adulthood, to see them reflect all the love and attention given them through the years is a blessing, indeed. A father who does not care, who is not concerned about the fruit of his loins, who has no emotional connection with his children is a worse than a travesty. In our culture, when marriage is profaned and on the decline, when men father many children by many different women, when homosexuality is being promoted as normal, it is no wonder that children are left without fathers. But a man of true character will rejoice in his children.

I am so thankful for may own Dad who has taught me so much about life and who has given me so much of himself. He is my hero, my guide, my friend, my Dad.

Eric L. Padgett