Just look at the ads against the traditional concept of family in the city’s ads and conversations with the people around you to confirm that the family is under attack: pornography on the Internet, pressure from gay activists, trivialization of divorce and general immorality, all attentive to the deconstruction of the biblical notion of family. Indeed, “For the first time in history, Western civilization faces the need to define the meaning of the terms ‘marriage’?and ‘family’. [1] This reveals an unprecedented cultural crisis.
This moral impass has spiritual foundations, for “Is the world in the Evil One?”(1Jn 5. 19). Satan’s first attack was on the first couple and the effects of this attack were harmful to the family: the transfer of guilt among spouses (Genesis 3. 11-12), the first fratricide (Genesis 4. 8-10), the emergence of polygamy. (Gen. 4. 19), etc. The family is really under cultural and spiritual attack, that is, the Evil One himself wants to destroy it.
- Why does Satan hate the family so much? Definitely because it is important.
- The family is fundamental to the creation and education of the next generation.
- But not only for that.
- According to the scriptures.
- The family plays a decisive role in educating and empowering the person for different aspects of life.
There are many aspects of the Christian life that God has decided to teach us to use the family, this is one of the most used metaphors in the Bible, because there are lessons that can only be learned with a correct understanding of the family, since it was instituted by she.
A. God uses it to teach us his own nature
The relationship between family members gives an idea of the relationship between the Trinitarian People. Family life must reflect God’s relational nature. For this reason, Satan’s goal is to destroy any peaceful relationship in the family, because it will create confusion as to the nature of God Himself.
B. God uses it to teach us the gospel
When God justifies someone in Christ, that person is adopted as his son, so we learn that the relationship between parents and children is still important, and adoption ends up reflecting God’s mercy to us, so the gospel of grace can Be lived daily by God’s children; However, if Satan destroys the relationship between parents and children, he will distort the gospel message to the people.
C. God uses it to teach us the Church
Peter calls the church there? (1P 4. 17) and Paul says the believers are there?Family of God? (Ephesians 2. 19; 3. 15). Since Christians are united under the fatherhood of the Father through adoption in Christ, they constitute God’s family and must relate as “brothers”. And sisters?Thus, family life helps to understand the type of community to develop in the church. For this reason, the Enemy seeks to destroy the family, as this will eventually distort our understanding of the Church.
Therefore, in order to understand the relational virtue of God, his gospel, and his church, one must first understand the nature of the family: when one spouse leaves the other, when parents and children do not have good relationships, when a “different” concept is forbidden to a family with two parents, two mothers, or without the fidelity required in the relationship, etc. , the metaphor is distorted. Whenever this happens, Satan manages to destroy the center of theological instruction in the home.
The family is attacked not only by what it represents, but also by what it produces; In fact, God established it as a center of formation both in the church and in the world, because there one learns to serve others.
A. Family and religious service
Speaking of good relations in the church, Paul teaches that older men should be treated as fathers, young people as brothers, older women as mothers, and young women as sisters (1 Timothy 5. 1-2). In fact, this indicates that we must turn to the family to establish a relationship in the ecclesiastical context. In the same letter, Paul states that one of the ways to identify people qualified for presbytery is to wonder if they govern their own home (1 Timothy 3. 4-5). Thus, the family serves as a pattern of relationship in the Church and model of ecclesiastical leadership; The life and service of the Church can be learned in the family context; if the Evil One succeeds in deconstructing this model, the implications for community life in the church are catastrophic.
B. Family and service in society
The family also makes a significant contribution to society; it is not only the community cell, but also the center that allows people to serve others; It also serves society when it adequately represents its role in illustrating the deep truths of the gospel. In this sense, topics such as fatherhood, adoption, fraternal relationship, relational harmony, etc. , are in the context of the family instituted by God, evangelical indicators that eventually serve as a parameter for non-Christians to understand evangelical promises. , when the correct notions of these topics are distorted, gospel indicators are corrupted and even lost.
Therefore, Satan’s attacks on the family should come as no surprise to us; if it can destroy the biblical model of the family, it distorts not only a metaphor for teaching, but a center of formation and service that serves both the church and the world.
Whatever the quality of a family relationship, its members will always understand that good is not perfect!The love and joy resulting from harmony between spouses, the healthy relationship between parents and children and the activities of mutual service and support in the family. The context remains marked by flaws and imperfections, so the shortcomings of the family inspire the desire that the blessings of family life be perfect, only in eternity with God will people be able to fully enjoy the joy of fatherly love, intimacy and harmony that do not in fact, the family benefits felt on earth are only glimpses of the glory to come.
If Satan deconstructs the family here on earth, he will deconstruct the hope of a perfect family and distort the desire for heavenly joy. That’s why he’s so intense in his attack on the family.
After these considerations, it is possible to understand not only Satan’s plan against the family, but also its importance in God’s plans, so the battle for faith given to the Saints also includes the care and protection of biblical families.
Some of this material was adapted from a parent talk at Captol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC, in March 2016.
?
[1] K-STENBERGER, Andreas J. Dieu, marriage and family. Sao Paulo: Vida Nova, 2012, p. 21.