The Christian View of the Home The Christian View of the Home (By Edward Short) Revised April 2006
The Christian View of the Home Unless otherwise noted, English Scripture taken from the: HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishers. Some English scriptures are from the: New Revised Standard Version Bible. Copyright 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted, Chinese Scripture taken from the: CHINESE UNION VERSION. Some Chinese Scripture taken from: SHENGJING: PUTONGHUABEN, and some English Scripture taken from the EASY-TO- READ VERSION published by World Bible Translation Center, Copyright 1995, 2000. All rights reserved. World Bible Translation Center, P.O. Box 820648, Fort Worth, TX 76182 Some Chinese Scripture taken from: NEW CHINESE VERSION BIBLE, published by Worldwide Bible Society, Ltd. North American office: 415 North Mary Ave, Suite 113, Sunnyvale, CA 94085-4189. Some Chinese Scripture taken from: THE HOLY BIBLE: Today s Chinese Version, published by the Hong Kong Bible Society. United Bible Societies, 1979. ( By Edward Short) LIGHT OF LIFE (H.K.) CO., LTD. 5852 221 1/F, 221 Jaffe Rd, Wanchai, Hong Kong : 605 Bradley Court, Franklin, TN 37067 (USA) Email:eshort@worldchristian.org
The Christian View of the Home Triangles That Establish and Secure the Home Purpose of the Home Problems in the Home Focus on God Acknowledge Dependence on God Remember God s Gracious Acts Mentor Your Children--Reject Popular God Intimacy Leisure Time Activities The Bible is a Handbook For the Home The Home Is Holy Therefore Sex is Holy Should I Divorce English Synopsis
The Christian View of the Home Triangles That Establish and Secure the Home a strong marriage is not made when the situation is easy and the couple is comfortable, healthy and without problems rather, when problems come, are faced, worked through and solved---that is what makes a strong marriage
The Christian View of the Home
The Christian View of the Home Purpose of the Home: To Glorify God
The Christian View of the Home Tammy
The Christian View of the Home Problems in the Home
The Christian View of the Home
The Christian View of the Home Focus on God
The Christian View of the Home
The Christian View of the Home Acknowledge Dependence on God
The Christian View of the Home
The Christian View of the Home Remember God s Gracious Acts
The Christian View of the Home
The Christian View of the Home Reject Popular Gods
The Christian View of the Home
The Christian View of the Home Intimacy
The Christian View of the Home
The Christian View of the Home Leisure-time Activities recreationrecreation recreaterecreaterecreate recreation
The Christian View of the Home
The Christian View of the Home The Bible is a Handbook for the Home
The Christian View of the Home
The Christian View of the Home The Home is Holy Therefore Sex is Holy
The Christian View of the Home
The Christian View of the Home Should I Divorce? forgiveness doesn t make the other person right, it makes you free.
The Christian View of the Home
The Christian View of the Home ENGLISH SYNOPSIS 1. Triangles That Establish and Secure the Home We can compare the home to three triangles, the first of which represents love. The top corner of the triangle represents God, and the bottom two corners symbolize the husband and the wife. Both people are connected to each other by love, and each is connected to God in the same way. God s love for mankind defines the love of one spouse for another. The second triangle represents loyalty. If a spouse is unhappy, or if one partner falls out of love, loyalty to the marriage and to God keeps the couple together while the problem is being solved. The third triangle represents the marriage covenant. In marriage, a couple makes a covenant with God, with each other and with society. Read with spouse: Ephesians 5:21-33 1) Discuss the Triangles in context of this passage. 2) Apply this passage to your own home 2. Purpose of the Home: To Glorify God The home was not instituted by accident, neither is it a product of evolution, rather the home was established by God. Consequently, one purpose of the home is to bring glory to the One who made it. The choice of one s spouse can determine how happy a person will be in life, and that choice will also be a large factor in where a person will spend eternity, hence the choice of a marriage partner is one of life s most important decisions. Read with spouse: Genesis 2:15-25 1) List the goals both of you have set for your home. Beginning with the most important, list at least four goals. 2) Tell your spouse how he/she makes up for your deficiencies. 3. Problems in the Home There are several reasons for the high divorce rate in the United Sates. America is a throw away society; consequently some people carry this concept over into the home. Many people look to the wrong examples of what normal homes are. They see friends, neighbors, coworkers and movie stars divorce, so they assume that divorce is the answer to their problems as well. There are several causes of the increased divorce rate in China also. Because of their work situations, some couples cannot live together; instead, they live in different cities, causing
The Christian View of the Home frustration to each partner. Numerous couples cannot afford to move out of a parent s house and live on their own, and so their home is stressed. Divorce can be avoided if each spouse will love, serve, encourage, share with, be thoughtful of and forgive each other. Read with spouse: Galatians 5:13-26 1) Tell your spouse candidly what fruits of the Spirit you need to develop in your own life. 2) Ask your spouse to tell you honestly what fruits of the Spirit he/she thinks you need to develop. 4. Focus on God Focus is as important in the home as it is in photography or sports. Since the Bible tells us to teach our children the word of God from their youth (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), we should begin early to read the Bible with our children. Start with a Bible story book, and then use a simple translation of the entire Bible. God s truth will serve as their foundation for life. Read with spouse: Deuteronomy chapter 6 1) How can you use Deuteronomy chapter 6 in your home? 2) What does Deuteronomy 6:25 mean? 5. Acknowledge Dependence on God Many people think that asking for help indicates that one is unable to be self-sufficient. We applaud a person who goes to school, however, which in fact is admitting that one does not know it all. All of us readily seek the service of a physician when we are sick. It should not embarrass us, therefore, to receive help from God, and to acknowledge that he is our refuge and strength. Read with spouse: Psalms 22 1) What crisis did King David face when he wrote this? What did he do? Who in the New Testament quoted this psalm? (Jesus when on the cross.) 2) If King David and Jesus needed to rely on God, should we always try to be self-sufficient? 6. Remember God s Gracious Acts Just as Moses instructed his people to recite from generation to generation how God freed the Hebrews from Egyptian slavery, we too should instill in our children how God has blessed and cared for our families. Teach children the importance of family. Who painted that picture? Who is in that old photograph? What is the history of our dining room table?
The Christian View of the Home Read with spouse: Psalm 78 1) Recount what God has done in your life to bring you to the present. 2) List how God has lead, blessed, comforted and disciplined your family. Save this list and teach it to your children and grandchildren. 7. Reject Popular Gods Deuteronomy 6:14 demanded that the Hebrews stay away from the gods of the nations around them. Today, we not only must refuse to bow before idols, but we also should reject the gods of money, materialism, sex, amusement, education, etc. Teach children that all these things are temporary, and then determine to set before children a proper example regarding these things. Read with spouse: Romans 12 1) What gods does Paul mention in the passage? 2) What gods do you need to dispose from your heart, your life and in your family? 8. Intimacy How much intimacy do children see and feel in your home? Do they feel free to discuss any subject? Would they share their inner-most thoughts with you? Have or will you discuss sex with your children? Reading through the entire Bible with your children is a good way for sex and other sensitive subjects to come up naturally, and to be discussed in a wholesome and Godly environment. Read with spouse: Proverbs chapter 5 1) What wisdom does the father in Proverbs 5 share with his son/daughter? 2) Has your child ever shared his inter-most thoughts with you? What was your reaction? 9. Leisure-time Activities Daddy! Come play with me! is a sentence heard often, but in our modern society, some parents find it difficult to spend quality time with their children. It s important, however, not to let children think they take second place to your work and other activities. The importance of recreation can be seen in the English word itself to re-create oneself and one s family. Read with spouse: Proverbs 14:30; 15:13, 30; 17:22 1) Within the past six months, what have you and your spouse done solely for the purpose of relaxation and fun?
The Christian View of the Home 2) List six things you would like to do or six places you would like to go to re-create yourself and your family. 10. The Bible is a Handbook for the Home Most every item we buy comes with an instruction manual or handbook, everything that is except marriage and children. God created mankind, and he established the home, thus the Bible serves as the best handbook for happy and successful homemaking, and for raising children. Read with spouse: Proverbs 1:1-7; 2:1-11; 22:6; 23:12-14; Psalms 119:9-11,105; 2 Timothy 1:5-7; 3:15-17 1) Why is the Bible a handbook for the home? 2) Discuss and plan how to make the Bible the handbook for your home. 11. The Home is Holy Therefore Sex is Holy God created sex, so sex is good and sex is holy. God created the home, and God provided sexual relations as a joyful element in marriage. Images from Hollywood, and the playboy mindset, are perversions of sex, and are totally self-centered lifestyles. Sexual intercourse, as God intended, however, is natural, beautiful and holy; it is an expression of love between husband and wife. Read with spouse: Song of Solomon (best to read entire book, but at least read ch. 4). 1 Corinthians 7:1-5; 6:15-20 1) Why did God create sex? Why did God enable mankind to have sexual activity? (Give at least two or three reasons.) 2) Discuss with your spouse how you can make him/her happier. 12. Should I Divorce? What sentence is sadder than, I want a divorce!? Should a couple divorce when they face problems? God doesn t intend for homes to be broken. When Jesus discussed adultery and divorce, he emphasized thereby how holy and important the marriage covenant is; hence people should not divorce on a whim. What should you do when you face huge marriage problems (other than adultery)? When ill-treated, how should you react? Probe your own heart, actions and attitudes. Your spouse s actions were wrong, but what about your attitudes? Forgive your spouse. Someone said, Forgiveness doesn t make the other person right, it sets
The Christian View of the Home you free. Yes, you hope your spouse will repent, but don t wait on that. God forgave you; you forgive your spouse. Forgive, and then try to rebuild your home. Read with spouse: Matthew 5:31-32; 19:1-12; 1 Corinthians 7:8-40; Matthew 18:15-35. 1) Why should you forgive your spouse when he/she offends or sins against you? 2) In private, each spouse list ten specific things you can do to make your spouse know that you love, appreciate and are thankful for him/her. Do each of these things during the next two months.