By: Bro Jason Wong
Scripture: Gen 1:1, 27-28a
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... 27 God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it...
God’s Order of Relationships
1. “God created man” - God & Man
2. “Male and female” - Husband & Wife
3. “Be fruitful” - Parents & Children
- “fill the earth and subdue it.”
- From Marriage/Family to Tribes, Societies, Nations
We Raise Godly Children by:
I. Restoring Our Parent/Child Relationship
“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Pr 22:6)
Parenting That Creates Fear, Shame and Guilt
Expectations-based parenting:
- I expect you to make me happy and give me security and/or significance.
- My dreams/ideals are centred around you.
- I give you the power to make me happy or miserable.
- Because I treat you well, you should become what I expect.
"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"
- Albert Einstein
Instead, we should embrace the biblical perspective - love-based parenting.
II. Restoring our Husband/Wife Relationship
Focus on the Family Seasons of Marriage Survey 2020
Out of 596 respondents,
- Daily interactions with spouse:
- 37% not talking or doing things together
- 6% leading completely separate lives
- Conversations with spouse:
- 35% said lacking
- 7% said cold.
- “Love Tank” with spouse:
- 27% said constantly depleted
- 10% said (almost) always empty
- Conflict with spouse:
- 15% uncomfortable talking about conflict
- 22% having harsh arguments or “cold wars” with their spouse most of the time
Advice given to the 1st couple: "Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” (Eph 5:31-33)
III. Restoring our God/Man Relationship
“In the beginning… God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him..” (Gen 1: 1, 27)
In His Image
“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)
“…Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)
