Family: Distinct and Obedient

April 26, 2026 Background Scripture: Matthew 19:3 9; Ephesians 6:1 - 4; 2 Timothy 1:3-5 Lesson Passage: Deuteronomy 6:3 - 9; Matthew 19:3 - 9 Today's lesson focuses on the family as a divinely appointed institution. It is clear from the passage out of Deuteronomy that God intended for His word to have preeminence in the family. Almost every conceivable way in which the word of God could be made evident is named. It must first start in the believer's heart. After that it should be taught to the children. It was to be talked about while sitting in the house. It was to be discussed while they were away from home. It was to be talked about late at night before retiring to bed and early in the morning after they arose. The word of God was to be as visible as someone wearing jewelry. This preeminence of the word of God in the family would influence the children. Obedience to the word of God promises prosperity for the people of God. Obedience to God's word must begin with the family at home. God's plan was for the family to be a stable institution that would be the building block of society. The stability of the family was based on the husband and wife being joined as one flesh by God. Sin always disrupts God's plans. Sin causes individuals to have hard hearts towards others—including their spouses. God allowed Moses to introduce divorce as an option to prevent a person from living a miserable life with someone who had a hard heart towards them. Jesus made it clear that this was not God's original plan for the family, but the bill of divorcement allowed the two people to be separated and at peace. Despite sin's devastating effect on the family as an institution, God continues to work through families by providing instructions for them. The fact that Paul wrote to a church and instructed children to obey their parents is an indication that disobedient children were part of that society. Likewise, instructing fathers to not provoke their children to anger is an indication that fathers were already provoking their children to anger. Those instructions were sent by Paul to strengthen the Christian families in that society. The father' s provocation was to be replaced by training and teaching their children to love the Lord. This restores God's original intent for the relationship between the father and his children as Moses had instructed Israel. In what is believed to be Paul's last letter, he reflected on how God-fearing families had influenced their offspring. He attributed his steadfast serving of God to the example of his forefathers. Likewise, when Paul spoke of Timothy's genuine faith, he attributed it to the faith of Timothy's mother and grandmother. Faith is not inherited. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Timothy's grandmother and mother evidently did the very thing God had instructed Israel to do within their families during the time of Moses. In the Law, God instructed the people of Israel to teach the word of God to their children, Their obedience to this provision of the Law was made evident through the generations. Today, Christian families must dare to believe that God blesses obedience to His word the same today as He did in the past. We must believe that our families are blessed and prosper when we make the word of God a priority for our families. We might not see the results immediately, but time will reveal the faithfulness of God in honoring His word. His word declares that when we train up a child in the way that he should go, when he is old, he will not depart from it. It does not say there will not be ups and downs in life as he grows older. But if the word of God is hidden in his heart, it will be a lamp to his feet and a light to his path. The family, as an institution, must remain distinct and obedient to God's word. Robert C. Hudson April 11, 2026