Building a Godly Home - Zac Poonen - May 27, 2017
http://rlcf.church/sermons/building-godly-home River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The speaker discusses the divine design for marriage, contrasting it with historical practices like divorce, which he argues stems from hard hearts. He emphasizes that according to Genesis, God created Adam first, teaching that the first focus in marriage must be on God. A godly marriage requires both partners to prioritize seeing and knowing God before focusing on each other.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
What did Jesus say about divorce?When the Pharisees questioned Jesus about divorce, He pointed them back to God's original creation plan in Genesis rather than the temporary allowances made under the law of Moses due to hard hearts.Matthew 19:3
What can we learn from creation in Genesis?God created Adam first and alone to teach us that God must be the first and primary focus in our lives before any human relationship, and that woman was made as a suitable helper.
The glory of submission and Christ-like headshipJust as Jesus voluntarily submits to the Father, a wife embraces the glory of submission, while a husband must exercise headship not as a tyrant, but like a brain that cares intensely for every part of the body.1 Corinthians 11:3
Pressing on to perfectionBelievers must make becoming like Christ their singular goal in life, constantly pressing on toward perfection in their personal and marital lives rather than making excuses for their flaws.Philippians 3:12
Being under authority and quick to forgiveA husband can only exercise godly authority if he is fully under Christ's authority, meaning he must forgive his wife repeatedly and never bring up past mistakes, exactly as God forgives us.
The first commandment for marriage: leave father and motherGod's first instruction for marriage before sin entered the world was that a man must leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, maintaining a healthy balance that respects parents without letting them interfere in the marriage.
Managing the home as a qualification for church leadershipUnlike in the Old Covenant where great leaders like Moses and Samuel had wayward children, the New Testament requires that an elder must successfully manage and control his own family before taking care of the church.1 Timothy 3:5
Godly offspring and the faith of mothersGod unites husbands and wives to produce godly offspring, and while fathers bear primary responsibility, mothers like Eunice can deeply impart genuine faith to their children by showing them how to trust God through life's trials.Malachi 2:15
Fathers teaching and disciplining their childrenFathers have the primary responsibility to actively teach their children the Bible and provide loving, biblical discipline, which aligns with God's promise that properly trained children will not depart from the right path.
The connection between family life and spiritual warfareIn Scripture, the command to be filled with the Spirit and the call to put on the armor of God to fight the devil are directly connected by instructions on honoring God within our daily family relationships.Ephesians 5:18Ephesians 6:10
