Motives that Strengthen Family Life

Exodus 2:1-4; Joshua 24:14, 15; Ephesians 5:28-31; 6:1-4

GOLDEN TEXT: “Charity [love] never faileth.”—I Corinthians 13:8

THE combination of Scriptures suggested by the Sunday School committee for today’s lesson indicates a lack of discernment on the part of the committee between the two kinds of love mentioned in the Bible. The love—mistranslated “charity”—mentioned in the Golden Text, is from the Greek word agape, and is descriptive of the divine principle of unselfishness. It was this love which, prompted our Heavenly Father to give His Son to be man’s Redeemer. It is this love that enables a Christian to pray for and bless his enemies. Properly understood and acted upon, this love-principle would certainly do much in the way of strengthening family life.

The illustration furnished in Exodus 2:1-4 is that of family love, described in the New Testament by the Greek word, phileo. This is an affectionate love which reaches out to the things which one cherishes. Moses was a “goodly child,” and his mother loved him—she couldn’t help it. She loved the child so much that she was willing to risk her own life in order to save his. It was her child, bone of her bone, and flesh of her flesh, and she was drawn to her darling as though by a magnet. This kind of love is proper and beautiful in the home, among members of a family. Without it there could be no strong family ties.

How grand it will be when the entire family of Adam, restored to human perfection, and with tin law of God written in their hearts are influenced in their attitude towards each other by this tender affectionate love! Through our first parents, sin entered into the world, since then, each individual member of the human family has been looking out chiefly for his own interests, and the interests of those in his immediate family circle. Frequently even in the family selfishness in the individual destroys the genuine interest men and women should have in those who are near to them by ties of flesh or by marriage.

Throughout the ages since Eden selfishness and distrust have destroyed the happiness of the human, family as a whole. During the Messianic Kingdom, however, this condition will be remedied. A pure message of truth will be turned to the people, and under its influence they will learn to call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent. (Zeph. 3:8,9) Through this universal and united worship of the true God, a world-wide community of interest and mutual love will be established among all the peoples of the earth, and the whole human race will become one happy and united family of God.

In Joshua 24:14 and 15 (the second section of our lesson) the importance of recognizing and worshiping the true God as a bond of unity in the home is emphasized. In order to have perfect harmony and complete joy and happiness in the home it is necessary for each member to recognize that his first allegiance is to God, and that love for husband, wife, parents or children, is a part of God’s will for them. A proper recognition by all in the family of the sovereignty of God’s will tends to bridge the difficulties that may arise on account of individual preferences and varying temperaments.

This same God-first principle will also have much to do with the happiness of the restored human family, as we have already noted. Failure to recognize this principle led to the tragedy in Eden. Had both Adam and Eve adhered to it by obeying God rather than taking a course which seemed best to them, the happiness of their family relationships would not have been marred. Eve decided to partake of the forbidden fruit because she thought it was to her own best interests to do so. Adam decided to join Eve in the transgression for the same reason. God’s will was ignored. Only when God’s will is restored in the human family will life and happiness again be the common heritage of the race. That is why we pray, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.”—Matt. 6:10

Ephesians 5:28-31 (part three of the lesson) furnishes another admonition regarding true family love, particularly that which should exist between husbands and wives. Here is the thoughtfulness and closeness of agape love for those united in marriage and the apostle uses it to illustrate the love of Christ for His church. Both the Heavenly Father and Christ love the church with this unselfish, fully devoted family love because the Church is a part of the divine family. Indeed, the Heavenly Father’s love for His own surpasses that of mother love, for do we not read that though a mother may forget her sucking child, yet will He not forget us?—Isa. 49:15

An affectionate love for that which is our own, can be pure and wholesome, although as it is often practiced by members of the fallen race; it is not generally so. If it is mistakenly substituted for the great principle of unselfishness (agape) love it can lead to trouble in the church. It could cause one to love some of the brethren because of being specially attracted to them by ties of flesh or otherwise; while ignoring other brethren who may need help. It could cause one to sanction the deeds of brethren which are wrong. God has a tender, affectionate interest in all the brethren, and we, too, should have this same interest in them. As Christians, the entire household of God should be esteemed as members of our family, and we should love and cherish them all, unselfishly.

QUESTIONS:

What are the two kinds of love mentioned in the Bible?

What is essential to abiding happiness in family life?

What is the strongest of all family ties?

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