Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

Family: Living and Doing for God
  
Colossians 3:18-25
  Sunil & Liju Kurian
St. Stephen's MTC, NJ
18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart.
 
Paul wrote the book of Colossians from a prison around 60 AD, combatting false teachings that had infiltrated the church. In the beginning of chapter 3, Paul discusses the character of a Christian and what the death and resurrection of Jesus should mean to him who believes. Chapter 3: 18-25 talks about the Christian as he lives in his household and the world around him. Paul gives some rules for family relationships:
Husbands & Wives:
 In today’s world, when there is so much emphasis on the equality between men and women, people would scoff at the idea of a wife submitting to the husband (v.18). But it is so important to understand that, the concept of submission does not mean slavery or imply inferiority but comes from a Greek word “huptasso” that means “to arrange oneself under a delegated authority”. This would be like a soldier under the direction of their officer. Therefore, a wife “to submit” to her husband would mean submission out of the “same allegiance” she shows to Christ. This represents God’s sense of order in the marital relationship.The word “husband” originally meant one who holds the house together. A husband’s responsibility is to love their wives (v.19) by holding things together and providing an atmosphere for growth and fruitfulness in the home. Husbands are called to love their wives with an agape love just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her. This is an unconditional love based on commitment and not just feelings and emotions. This means putting the wives’ needs’ ahead of his own and his wife in turn will not have a hard time being submissive to his will, because of his great love for her. If husbands and wives both follow these instructions from God, their marriage will be on solid ground.


 
Parents & Children:
God has placed children under the care and authority of their parents. As we are expected to be obedient to God, so children are expected to obey their parents (v.20). This verse is a reiteration of the 5th commandment to “Honor thy Father and Mother”. But parents also have a responsibility to be good parents. We are to train our children in the things of the Lord, and that includes necessary discipline along with love and care.


The hallmark of a Christian home should be kindness, gentleness, peace, and above all, love. If these attributes are not the focus in our homes, we are going to lose out. We will leave our children or spouse with wrong attitudes as to what a Christian should be.

PRAYER

Lord, help us to love our spouse and our children the way you showed us to love. Give us wisdom as we parent our children. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
 
“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” Theodore Hesburgh

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