THE PLACE OF FATHERS by Al Sanders T his is the time of the year when we think particularly about fa thers. Unfortunately, the importance of their place in the home has all too frequently been made light of. This is tragic, especially in view of the need to strengthen the spiritual battlements of this last bastion of defense for society.
thority in the home. It is important to note, however, that three times the husband is told to love his wife. Un fortunately, even in so-called Chris tian homes, there are too many men who insist they are the head of the household and therefore everyone is to submit to their wishes. Yet, with such demands they fail to carry out the other part of the bargain in that they are told to love their lives as their own flesh. A woman will never suffer under the headship of a man who loves her even as he does himself. The place of leadership is not a matter of setting up a president and vice-president. It is not a case of one individual being inferior and the other one superior. The reason for God’s ordained order is indicated clearly in I Peter 3:7. As we fellow ship in the things of Christ, growing together in spiritual truth, unless these two Bible principles are fol lowed our prayers will be hindered or “cut off.” In Psalm 68:6 we are told that God setteth the solitary in families. The home is a divine institution of the Lord. Its purpose is that those who are alone, each one of us, may be brought together in joyful companion ship to display His love and grace. The fact of the matter is, God gave us families not just to perpetuate the human race. If He had wanted to do that He could have selected some other means. The overriding reason for the home is that we as fathers, as par ents, might hand down to our chil dren, and then our children to their children, the divine oracles of God which are so clearly revealed to us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and carefully proclaimed in the infallible Word of God. The Lord has ordained certain re sponsibilities for every father. The first area of duty is the business of supporting the family. One of the 16
In a careful consideration of this subject for believers, we need to real ize that a truly Christian home is actually really the exception and not the rule. In considering the need to strengthen the home, we must look first of all at the relationship of the father to the mother. While some women may not like to face it, yet the husband is to have the place of authority in the home. Problems can come readily if he steps over his bounds, as well as if he fails to face up to his responsibilities. What is the place of the man in the home? The word “husband” is a con traction originally meaning “house band,” or the one who actually drew the home together, banding it around, protecting and holding it securely to gether. The place of authority in the home rightly belongs to the man. If the wife takes over and he abdicates his responsibility, trouble and confusion is likely to ensue. The Bible sets forth the perfect pattern for a happy home in such passages as the fifth chapter of Ephesians. This section is certainly a classic and should be read frequently by every husband and wife, not as a ritual but as a reminder of God’s economy. In this portion the husband is told to love his wife even as he loves his own self. How many are there of us who could say, without hypocrisy, that this is the way their affection runs? It is interesting to re alize that twice in this Scripture the wife is told to be in submission to her husband. This shows his place of au
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