The Traditional Home

By Marvin Rickett

A traditional home is a home with both a father and a mother, married to each other, living together, loving each other, and together rearing children. We should affirm that the “traditional home” is also  the home as God would have it. We should contend for it, not merely because it is “traditional,” but because it is God’s only approved arrangement. (Gen. 1:24; Matt. 19:1-9; Eph. 6:1-4; Tit. 2:1-8, etc.)

God’s arrangement is under relentless, and sometimes vicious attack today. Alternate home arrangements are being zealously promoted and practiced: live-ins without marriage, homosexual and lesbian “homes,” single parent homes. Some are bringing children into these arrangements. These alternate home arrangements are inadequate, some are unacceptable, some are downright wicked. The “Live together without marriage” arrangement is fornication and condemned by the Lord God (1 Cor. 6:9; Gal. 5:19). Homosexual and lesbian arrangements are an abomination to God (Rom. 1:26; 2 Cor. 6:9).

Single-parent arrangements are not desirable, though we recognize they are sometimes unavoidable. Children need both parents. They need a father (male) role model and a mother (female) role model to see and follow so they will have a healthy view of their own sexuality. It is difficult for a child to grow up well adjusted, well balanced, and have a really healthy view toward masculinity and femininity when he comes from a single-parent home. (It would be almost impossible from a homosexual “home.” The will “produce after their kind.”)

People sometimes find themselves in a single-parent arrangement they cannot avoid. They need our compassion and help. We encourage them to do the best they can. But to deliberately create a single-parent arrangement by a child out of wedlock, artificial insemination, a single-parent adoption, or homosexual arrangement is against God’s plan, is contrary to human nature and needs, and is a gross injustice to the child. It is morally questionable, often economically disadvantaged and extremely selfish. It is not seeking what is best for the child. The child is often condemned to abuse, warped ideas of humanity, and a lifetime of maladjustment.

God’s way is best. It is the right one. Other arrangements will lead to a maladjusted generation which will destroy itself. We need to defend the traditional family on the basis of what God says in the Bible, actively promote it, and practice its principles in our own lives. &

Our Heritage in Christ

By Bob Myhan

At this particular time of year, Americans are acutely aware of their common heritage. A heritage is usually an inheritance of material property, rights, traditions and/or ideas that one receives through the gracious act(s) of another, or others. The nature of our American heritage is political, social and economic. Its foundation is the valiant, courageous, and determined efforts of from 4,000-12,000 men who shed their blood that they and others could escape tyranny. Its elements are such things as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, the right to free assembly and due process. Yes, we Americans have a great heritage, indeed, thanks to our forefathers. But Christians (whether in the USA or in Communist China) have a far greater heritage in Christ. Let us consider the nature, foundation and elements of this heritage.

The nature of our heritage is threefold—it is spiritual, holy and royal.

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy (1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10).

Christians collectively make up “a spiritual house” or family, in that we have all undergone a “spiritual” birth, in addition to our natural birth. One’s natural birth places him into a natural family but one’s spiritual birth puts him into the spiritual family of God.

We are a “holy priesthood,” in that we have been set apart to be priests under the New Covenant. As priests, our duty is to “offer up spiritual sacrifices,” as opposed to the animal sacrifices under the Old Covenant God made with Israel . We are a “royal priesthood,” in that we serve under Jesus, who is both King and High Priest.

We are a “holy nation,” as opposed to a geo-political nation, such as ancient Israel , in that we have been set apart by our citizenship in heaven. (Phil. 3:20)

The foundation of this heritage is “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:17-21; also Rom. 3:21-26). He was “the Lamb of God,” the antitype of all typical sacrifices (John 1:29-34). He was ordained as such “from the foundation of the world” (2 Tim. 1:8-9; Titus 1:1-2; Rev. 13:8; Gen. 3:14-15).

The elements of our heritage in Christ are “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Eph. 1:3-14). These include “the forgiveness of sins” (Eph. 1:7) and freedom from the bondage of sin (John 8:31-36; Rom. 6:18-22). We also enjoy freedom from condemnation (Rom. 7:24-25; 8:1), freedom from the curse of law (Gal. 3:1-14, 19-29), freedom from fear (Rom. 8:12-15; 1 John 2:1-2) and freedom from religious division (John 17:20-21). We also have the privilege of direct contact, via the avenue of prayer, with the head of our government at any time of day or night and at any place on this earth. Lastly, and most importantly, we have an eternal home in heaven (Rom. 8:16-25; 1 Peter 1:3-5).

Indeed, as Maurice Barnett wrote in an email to this writer, “Ours is a freedom unlike any that man ever had before and it does not have Social Security in our old age to look forward to but an eternal retirement.”

Are you glad, dear brother or sister, that you are an American? You have a right to be. You should be thankful to God that you were born in “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” But, more importantly, you should be glad you are a citizen of heaven. You should be thankful to God for giving you the opportunity to become one of its citizens and to have such a great heritage in Christ. Yes, we have a far greater heritage as Christians than we do as Americans. But, if you have not been “born of water and the Spirit,” you are yet outside the kingdom of God and do not share the heritage of His people. &