The Origin of the Family

WHAT IS MARRIAGE?

Marriage is the legally or formally recognized union of two people as partners in a personal relationship (historically and in some jurisdiction, specifically a union between a man and a woman. 

God established the family from the beginning of creation, a family is the smallest unit of the society. The family life begin with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Regrettably, man has introduced many ways to distort the family which God holds in high esteem, despite the fact that God designed the family for a purpose. 

The problems plaguing the family started from the first family till date, if the foundation of the family is destroyed, there is no way the purpose which is meant for man's comfort can be realised. God doesn't want His people to be jettisoned. He, therefore, allowed a family set up where people will follow His commands. This is what is referred to as a Christian Home. 

Christianity is a way of life and not a religion, there are many forms of family in our contemporary time. Many families setup ways of life which are at variance with what God expects from the Christian family. 

             

GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS IMAGE

At creation, everything God created came to be by the fait of God's word "let there be". However, to create man, God spoke, "let us make man in our image". This involved the Father relating to the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

Man was created in God's image-not the physical image, but in character and attributes. Man was not created, therefore, to operate in solitude, but as a being that should relate to others. This is the reason why man cannot abandon family life. 

Notwithstanding that man has abused the relationship and within the family, the family life is found in every tribe, race and culture. The need to relate to fellow human being cannot be totally ignored, God created man to have both vertical and horizontal relationships. This has to do with the relationship God and man and man with other human beings. 

THE FAMILY WAS INSTITUTED FROM THE BEGINNING 

Marriage and family life were not ad-hoc arrangements which God thought of after man's fall in the Garden of Eden. both institutions started right from the beginning of creation. Jesus emphasised that marriage was right at the beginning-the institution predates Moses' law to regulate marital and family relationships. Man has tinkered with marriage and family life as if the institutions were man's ideas. In each cultural setting, rules are made to accommodate man's abandonment of the Creator's plan for the family. Man's rules about the two institutions have brought neither joy nor happiness; 

Instead it has brought pain and heartache. Civilisation has not made God change His plans, purpose and rules for family relationships. For man to enjoy the benefits of the institution called family, he needs to go back and study God's blueprint for family relationship and stick to it. 

GOOD MARRIAGE PARTNER IS A GIFT FROM GOD

God, the author of the family, is interested in the success of the institution. He is more than willing to lead those who depend on Him in choosing their marriage partners to choose rightly. The problems faced by families often start with being unequally yoked in marriage. 

Many people don't wait upon God when they are at the point of choice. They place their conviction on physical beauty, wealth acquired, social status, academic attainment, tribal considerations e.t.c. All these make them miss God's purpose and suitable partners. The inner quality of the spouse is the most important and often, not everything that glitters is gold. Only God can lead one to choose a compatible life partner. 

Young adults who are at the point of choosing life partners should Heed the counsel to wait upon God in prayers and to seek godly counsel from spiritually mature adults. Choosing rightly is a favour from God. 

Lately, divorce has been a normal thing in our society (God detest this so much), the reason is that people no longer prepare for MARRIAGE, they rather prepare for WEDDING.

A PRUDENT HUSBAND/WIFE IS FROM GOD

God is the author of the family, He knows the qualities that makes a woman a good wife and the qualities that make a good husband. It's not every woman that makes a good wife and mother; neither is every man the material for a good husband and father. 

People who abandon the way of God cannot be good materials for the family. They are emotionally immature, physiologically compromised, morally and financially bankrupt. God is the Creator and He knows everyone thoroughly. He alone knows those who possess the prudence for a healthy family life. 

Rather than seeking God's face at the point of choice of life partner, some children of God go to prophets and seers for guidance. They only inform their pastors after the decision has been taken expecting the pastors to just pronounce God's blessing on their choice. 

Children of God should know that it is God alone who can choose a prudent husband or wife for His children.

My next article will be on Courtship, because it's a very essential part, it is a step one take before marriage which is very important, young ones see courtship as a joke, not knowing it's a very serious business. We go to school to study a certain course for years, but in the case of marriage people don't see it as a big deal. It will be revealed in my next article, stay tuned.

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