Faith & Reason Nexus

Children:

• Obey Their Parents:
  • Ephesians 6:1 – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”
  • Colossians 3:20 – “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.”
• Honor Their Parents:
  • Ephesians 6:2 – “Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise.”
  • Honoring parents involves respect, reverence, and gratitude, fulfilling a commandment with great blessings attached.
• Provide Care for Their Parents When They Are Old:
  • Proverbs 23:22 – “Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.”
  • This emphasizes the importance of honoring parents in their old age and caring for them when they can no longer care for themselves.

Parents:

• Love Their Children:
  • Although the Bible does not specify every verse explicitly commanding parents to love their children, it is a principle that is foundational. The love of a parent is reflected in the nurturing and guidance they provide.
  • Ephesians 6:4 – “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
• Teach Their Children:
  • Ephesians 6:4 – “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
  • Parents are responsible for teaching children about God’s word and guiding them in the right paths.
• Pray for Their Children:
  • 1 Chronicles 29:19 – “And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.”
  • Parents are urged to pray for their children’s well-being, spiritual growth, and success.

Divorce:

• Biblical Grounds for Divorce – Sexual Unfaithfulness (Adultery):
  • Matthew 19:9 – “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”
  • Matthew 5:32 – “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”
• Moses’ Permission of Divorce (Without God’s Approval):
  • Matthew 19:8 – “He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.”
  • Moses allowed divorce due to the hardness of people’s hearts, but it was not God’s original design.

Every Person Should Have Three Homes:

1. A Scriptural Earthly Home and Family:
   • A home built on God’s principles is vital for nurturing children and fostering faith.
   • Ephesians 5:22-33 – The relationship between husbands and wives reflects the relationship between Christ and the Church, offering guidance on family life.
2. A Sound and Faithful Congregational Home:
   • Being part of a church body is a key aspect of Christian living. It provides spiritual nourishment, fellowship, and accountability.
   • Hebrews 10:25 – “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
3. An Eternal Home with God in Heaven:
   • The ultimate goal for every Christian is to be united with God in eternal life.
   • John 14:2-3 – “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

This summary highlights the biblical teachings on the family, marriage, and divorce, and stresses the importance of having three distinct “homes” in our lives: an earthly home, a spiritual home within the church, and an eternal home with God.