Family Studies
God Is the Model for Family Relationships (Psa. 127:1)
Series: The Foundation of a Biblical FamilyIntroduction:
1. “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” 2. “How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways . . . (Psa. 128:1-6). 3. This is what we are all looking for is it not? the Lord’s blessing upon our house, our family thriving, seeing our children’s children and being a peace. 4. Such blessing can be ours, but we must fear the Lord, allow Him to build our house. We must submit our will to His, because it is not in us to direct our own steps, but by seeking out His wisdom we can have the kind of family that He wants us to have. 5. This series of lessons is entitled “Family Relationships in the Image of God.” What we are going to do is let the image of God reflect on us and conform ourselves to that image. Our objective in this series of lessons is to be “impressed” with God so that our families are transformed into His image. (Illustrate with coin and Play-Doh.) 6. The trouble is we have already been impressed by society, by what we have read, by our friends, and by our parents. Some of these impressions are somewhat consistent with the image of God, but all of us are marred by sin and so we are in the process of transformation. 7. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is (Rom. 12:2). That is our objective—to renew our minds according to the will of God. 8. How can we do this? It can be done by using God as our model of family relationships. Isn’t He our Father and we his children? Isn’t He our Husband and we His wife? How does He establish and maintain His relationship with us? 9. In this series we will identify and discuss four primary elements of God’s relationship with us: Covenant, Grace, Empowering, Intimacy.a. The first three lessons will lay the foundation.
b. The second three will focus on the execution of the principles.
1) In the marriage relationship.
2) In the parent/child relationship.
3) In the church and in the world.
Discussion:
I. God is portrayed in Scripture as Father and we are His children.A. One of the most frequent comparisons in the O.T. is between the father/child relationship and the God/Israel one.
1. Psa. 103:13: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.” The meaning of this relationship is further fleshed out in the Psalm.
a. He gives benefits, pardons iniquity, heals diseases, redeems life, crowns with lovingkindness and compassion, satisfies years, renews youth.
b. He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness.
c. He does not treat us as we deserve, but removes our transgressions from us.
2. He disciplines the children He loves (Deut. 8:5; Prov. 3:11-12).
3. He desires that chastised children return to Him (Jer. 3:22; 31:20).
4. He yearns for His children (Hos. 11:1-4).
B. The N.T. uses the same comparison.
1. As sons we cry, “Abba! Father!” and the Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:15-17).
2. We become imitators of God as beloved children (Eph. 5:1).
3. John says, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God” (1 Jn. 3:1).
4. Heb. 12:4-11 says that God deals with us as sons.
a. He loves us, therefore He disciplines us.
b. The appropriate response is respect and subjection.
c. The result is holiness, and training that produces the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
C. God is probably NOT simply using the human parent/child relationship to help us to understand our relationship with Him, but His relationship with us is the model for the human relationship. His relationship with us is the origin of our relationships with others.
II. God is portrayed in Scripture as Husband we are portrayed as wife.A. God is a husband to Israel and Israel is His wife. Such imagery is prominent around the time of the exile when Israel acted as a faithless wife.
1. Isa. 54:5-10 describes God as forsaking her in anger, but having everlasting lovingkindness and compassion upon her and maintaining His covenant of peace.
2. Jer. 3:6-14 describes both Judah and Israel as faithless adulterers. Still God invited repentance and extended His graciousness.
3. Ezek. 16 (and 23) describes the relationship in graphic language.
a. He entered into a covenant with them. They were married to the Lord.
b. He lavished blessings on them.
c. But they were unfaithful.
d. In His anger He brought judgment upon them.
e. They despised the oath by breaking covenant.
f. He remembered His covenant with them and forgave them for all they had done.
4. Similar principles are evident in Hos. 2:19-3:1.
B. In the N.T. it is Christ’s relationship with the church that is portrayed as a marriage.
1. The Christians at Corinth were betrothed to Christ (2 Cor. 11:1-2).
2. Eph. 5:22ff speaks of Christ as husband and the church as bride.
a. He loves her and gave Himself up for her to sanctify and cleanse her, to make her holy and blameless. He nourishes and cherishes her.
b. In response she is to respect Him and submit to His lead.
3. Rom. 7:2-4 refers to our being joined to Christ.
4. Rev. 19:6-7 speaks of the marriage of the Lamb and that His bride has made herself ready.
5. James 4:1-10 even refers to friendship with the world as adultery.
Conclusion:
1. Key concepts to note on God’s side: covenant, graciousness, lovingkindness, love, discipline, forgiveness. 2. Key concepts to note on the response side: faithfulness, respect, submission, repentance. 3. Many lessons apparent . . .a. God loves His people unconditionally.
b. God does what He can for them at great sacrifice to Himself.
c. He intends for them to be devoted and loyal.
d. He expects the relationship to be exclusive.
e. When His people sin He extends forgiveness.
f. He is gracious even though we are unkind to Him.
g. God holds people accountable for their sin. He does not simply overlook it.
