God’s Plan for the Family Part 4
We have been looking at the downfall of the family because of the original sin of Adam and Eve. We have seen how the enemy of God’s people, the devil, has been attacking the family in order to destroy the building blocks of our society and church. We have seen how a curse came upon the earth as a result of sin, and how that has caused the family to be out of the perfect plan of God.
Now let’s look at how authority and dominion is restored back to born-again men and women of God through Christ and how a wonderful restoration is brought back to the family through the finished work of the cross.
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.—Galatians 3:13-14 (Deut 28 list all the curses).
The three-fold curse of breaking God’s law could be summed up as spiritual death, sickness and disease, and poverty. Now in Christ, we are redeemed from the curse of the fall. We are restored to the dominion, glory and life that Adam and Eve lost.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.—2. Corinthians 5:17-21
As New Testament believers, we can live above the problems of the world. We have been given new life which touches every area of our lives. This life will produce strong, prosperous, unified and successful families. We have to follow God’s principles in the Bible in order to form strong families. Strong families produce strong churches, and in return strong churches change nations. Christian families are to be examples to the world in righteousness, unity and love.
The fellowship that was lost between God and man in the fall, as well as the relationship that was damaged between the man and his wife, can be restored under the New Covenant through Jesus Christ. The key to forming strong marriages is that both the man and the woman should have a strong personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As they are united to the Lord, then they will be united with one another.
Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.—Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 With the Lord Jesus, marriage is a three fold cord!