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Why MY Family Needs The Bible Introduction: One of the greatest responsibilities of parents is to rear up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. As any parent can tell you, having a happy family requires a lot of work. For this reason many families end in divorce, some bring up unruly children who then continue to mess up their lives. A basic problem exist in our society but especially in the American family and that is a lack of Bible knowledge. We need the Bible in our homes for a number of reasons. I) To Define Important Words And Concepts A) Marriage/family are words best defined by the Bible. 1. America is having trouble defining the word "family". a. Many young people come from homes with numerous fathers and/or mothers. i. School teachers will tell you it is dangerous to assume the wife of last year is the wife of this year. ii. Remember a lady came to church with four children and none of them had the same last name. b. Homosexuals are now demanding that they be granted the "marriage" status. c. The demise of the nuclear family has greatly affected our society. 2. Family according to God is one husband and one wife, Matthew 19.4-6; 1 Corinthians 7.2-3. a. Our children need to understand God's arrangement and its intended purpose. b. When man changes the marriage and family bad things happen. Unintended consequences are the byproduct of redefining the family and marriage. B) Parents relationship to their children 1. Due to the breakup of the home; many children and parents do not understand their role. a. We learn the role of the father by observing our dads; the same for mothers. b. The cycle of having a good home helps the next generation have a good home. 2. Wife/mother is defined in Titus 2.3-5 3. Fathers are to provide for their family and train their children, Ephesians 6.4 a. Ann Lander's poll showed over 70% of adults who had children regretted having them. http://www.happilychildfree.com/ann.htm i. Many parents claimed children ruined their marriage ii. Some unhappy due to their children leaving home and never contacting them. iii. Parents of unruly and out of control children. b. In other homes children are abused, neglected, pawned off on day care centers, baby sitters, and even killed due to parents not wanting them any longer. C) Love 1. Love is not -- sex, self gratification at the expense of others, just another emotion. a. Love can involve the physical attraction between a young man and young woman. But that by itself is not love. b. Love involves caring about the other person; being willing to sacrifice for and grow with the other person. 2. Our children need to understand love; for it is the basis of a happy marriage, Ephesians 5.25,28 D) The church 1. What is the church? a. A social institution, that which man has created, etc. b. We often say the church is not the building but that does not answer what the church is. 2. It is the people redeemed by the blood of Christ, Acts 2.47 II) To Answer Important Questions A) Where did I come from? 1. Our children will be taught that they are the product of evolution, a mere product of time and chance. a. Therefore our lives are pretty well meaningless. b. Just another animal; no responsibility and purpose 2. God made us, Genesis 1.26,27 with a soul; we are important enough for God to send His Son to die for us. B) What happens to me when I die? 1. Many a parent has had to answer the question of "Where are we going?" Followed by "Are we there yet?" 2. Without the Bible we have no answer to either question. We don't know where we are going, and we don't know if we are there or not. C) How can I deal with...? 1. Everyone will have to deal with guilt in one form or another. Will they turn to suicide, drugs, anger, money, or a host of other solutions. 2. Sin/guilt is washed away by the blood of Christ, Acts 2.38 Conclusion: The greatest advantage parents can give their children is a home that is fashioned after the Bible. Mother and father obeying God, loving their children, teaching them to obey God.
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