THE BIBLE AND FAMILY RULES {PART 4}

 PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com
THE BIBLE AND FAMILY RULES {PART 4}

The Church as the Family of GOD

Presenter: Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu {Sunday School Director}

Devotional Text: Eph 5:24-27; 1 Tim 5:1-2

INTRODUCTION:

            The Church of JESUS CHRIST our LORD and BLESSED SAVIOUR is the corporate family of Christian families in which family rules also apply. Undisputedly, our LORD JESUS CHRIST is the HEAD of the Church, as well as the establisher and owner of every Christian family, as linked to the Church. Thus, the Holy Scripture says...”HE is the HEAD of the Body, the Church: who is the BEGINNING, the FIRSTBORN from the dead: that in all things HE might have the pre-eminence”, {Col. 1:18}. And, in citing the connection of the human, cum Christian family to the Church, the Apostle Paul also remarks that, ‘the head of the woman is the man, and the HEAD of CHRIST is GOD”,  {1 Cor. 11:3}.

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)       The expression,...”the HEAD of every man is CHRIST”... shows that our LORD and BLESSED

            SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST is the SPIRITUAL HEAD of the human family, {1 Cor. 11:3}

(2)       And, the expression, ...”the head of the woman is the man” shows that the man is the physical

head of the human family {vs3}

(3)       In  the same order, the expression, ...”the HEAD of CHRIST is GOD” shows that the human family

is linked to the FATHER through our LORD JESUS CHRIST, {vs3}

(4)       The order above shows that every Christian family is linked to GOD and the Church through

our LORD and BLESSED SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST,{vs.3}

HOW TO RELATE WITH JESUS CHRIST AS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH FAMILY

For a Church family, which has been described as the corporate family of Christian families, to move on well, our LORD and BLESSEED SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST  must devotionally and sincerely be recognised as its SUPREME HEAD, just as every family linked to it, is expected to toe the same path, since the man, who is the physical head of the human family is scripturally subject to CHRIST, as the woman is subject to the man, {1 Cor. 11:13}. This biblical concept must be canvassed and maintained if the GLORY of GOD and harmonious living could be achieved in both the Church and Christian families attached to it, and implies that the individual families linked to the Church should radiate the LIGHT and GLORY of CHRIST, which the Church, in ideal situation should beam. To this end, therefore; Christian families should:

(i)                    Hold the highest honour and respect for CHRIST at home, and practise same in the Church family, {1 Cor. 11:3}

(ii)                  Understand that CHRIST is the HEAD of the Church family, as well as that of every Christian family, {vs. 3}.

(iii)                 Learn to keep family rules, as a way of bringing glory to GOD through CHRIST in the Christian household,

as members of the Church, which is their corporate family, {vs. 3}

HOW TO RELATE WITH AGED MEN AND WOMEN IN CHURCH FAMILY

The Scripture, “do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father...” {1 Tim. 5:1a-b}, according to William Burnitt, in his Notes on the New Testament, shows Apostle Paul’s directive to Timothy on how to manage ministerial reproof. In line with this, he says, “if old men transgress, they must be rebuked, not magisterially, but fraternally, with humility and gentleness, according to their years, not with austerity and roughness,” which also should serve as a general rule on how the younger ones should relate with the aged in Church family. In line with this, younger persons in the Church should learn to respect and treat the aged men as their biological father as cited in Ephesians 6:1-2. In the same vein, aged women should equally be accorded due respect as one’s own mother or caregiver, as it applies to the biblical expression ... “honour your father and mother- which is the first commandment with a promise”... {Eph. 6:2}. In other words, every aged woman in the Church should be seen and treated as one’s biological mother. In keeping with the above rules, the Holy Scripture urges us to;

(i)                    “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly...” {Lev. 19:32 NIV}

(ii)                  Respect our aged men and women as our biological fathers and mothers, {1 Tim. 5:1-2}

(iii)                 Not to treat them with contempt, but with gentleness and respect, {vs. 1-2}.

HOW TO RELATE WITH YOUNGER MEN AND WOMEN IN CHURCH FAMILY

Also, the Scripture... “treat the younger men as brothers... and the younger women as sisters” {1 Tim. 5:1-2}, in the words of William Burkitt, is instructive to the fact that they should not be handled with pride and fierceness, but with all purity, shunning all levity and wantonness, and eschewing all forms of immodesty in thought, speech, look or behaviour. In other words, the younger Christian brothers, by this instruction, are expected to relate with their female counterpart as blood sisters, just as the male folks are enjoined to relate with them in the same light. Based on this, if incest is forbidden among blood relatives {Lev. 18:9-10}, sexual immorality {Eph. 5:3}, and youthful lusts {2 Tim. 2:22} must not be allowed to exist among the male and female individuals redeemed... “with the precious BLOOD of CHRIST, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot,” {1 Peter 1:19}. In this connection, therefore, the younger male and female Christians should:

(i)                    Ensure that they maintain holy conversation in all their transactions with one another, {1 Peter 1:15}

(ii)                  Learn to live and fellowship together as brothers and sisters in holiness, {vs. 16}

(iii)                 Assist one another as brothers and sisters without any sense of immorality, {Rom. 16:1-2}

In conclusion, that the Church family is a DIVINE and sacred corporate family of GOD’S people, where family rules also apply, cannot be overemphasised. This re-enforces the biblical truth that the Church family is linked to GOD through CHRIST JESUS our BLESSED LORD and SAVIOUR, just as every Christian household, by the same arrangement of the MOST HIGH is linked to HIM, and so, our Church and Christian family lifestyle must radiate the LIGHT of CHRIST to the GLORY of THE FATHER. BE AN EXAMPLE TODAY!

Church of:

THE HOLY GHOST MISSION

……THAT YOU MAY GO TO HEAVEN.