Living Together in the Family

II Timothy 1:3-6

THE vast majority of Catholics, Protestants, Mohammedans, and those of other religious faiths, are what they are by inheritance, as it were; the commonly accepted viewpoint being that what was good enough for our parents and our grandparents is good enough for us. Without question, parental influence and the family life have much to do with determining the religious convictions and zeal of maturing children. This is true in varying degrees irrespective of whether the religion involved is heathen, a distorted version of Christianity, or the true Christian faith.

In our lesson Paul acknowledges with thanksgiving the faith and example of his “forefathers,” realizing that this background of religious zeal on the part of his family had been an important contributing cause of his present standing in the truth of the Gospel. In his case the Law and the prophets had accomplished their intended purpose, for they had brought him to Christ, the Messiah of promise. Paul was very grateful for this, and in giving thanks he appropriately recognizes the important part his family had played in preparing him to accept the Messiah.

In speaking of this wholesome religious influence of his own family life, Paul remembers that Timothy had been similarly blessed, for both his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice had been devout servants of God. It is generally believed that Timothy received much of his knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures from these zealously devout women. Whether or not they accepted the truth of the Gospel as Timothy did, we do not know, but in any case their influence in his life had been good, and for this he could be thankful.

However, the Gospel call to joint-heirship with Jesus, which is operative during the present age, is not based upon heredity, although the Scriptures indicate that the children of consecrated believers may be favored to some extent in this connection. Speaking to Jews at Pentecost, Peter said, “The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”—Acts 2:39

Christian parents have a great responsibility toward their children, a responsibility to see that they are brought up in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Eph. 6:4) But parents cannot make Christians out of their children unless the Lord blesses their efforts and gives the “increase.” Whether it be the children of the consecrated, or those who have had no background of religious training, it is only if the Lord calls and draws them to Christ that they can come to him and make a consecration to walk in his footsteps.

II Timothy 3:14, 15

TO KNOW the truth of God’s Word, whether the knowledge was obtained in youth or in later years, is not the ultimate goal of Christian experience. Paul admonished Timothy to continue in the things which he had learned. There is a possibility, of course, of having learned things in youth which are not actually taught in the Word of God. There is no point in continuing in these. Untruths, no matter when or from whom we may have learned them, should be discarded.

Paul indicates that the things in which we should continue are those of which we have been “assured,” knowing of whom we learned them. There is only one basis of true assurance with respect to Christian truth, and that is the Bible. And, as Paul declares, Timothy had been taught the Holy Scriptures in his youth, and thus he could be assured of what he had learned, for the Word of God was able to make him wise unto salvation.

Knowledge is very essential in the Christian life. Salvation is not given to the uninstructed. It is necessary through applied study of the Word to become “wise unto salvation.” To this end the Scriptures are profitable, Paul writes, for “doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”—II Tim. 3:16,17

Ephesians 5:22-25

IN THIS passage Paul uses the relationship of husband and wife to illustrate what he describes as a “great mystery … concerning Christ and the church.” (vs. 32) In order that this illustration might be a proper one it is essential, he writes, that wives be in subjection to their husbands, and that husbands love their wives,

The lesson is that members of the church should be in subjection to Christ, as their Head, and that Christ loved his church, loved her so much that he laid down his life for her. Undoubtedly many Christian homes would be a great deal happier if this scriptural arrangement were adhered to more faithfully. Where this is true, certainly the influence of the parents upon the children is a great deal more wholesome and will be more likely to lead them toward the Lord.

QUESTIONS

What evidence do we have that both Paul and Timothy were reared in devout, religious homes?

Is it possible to inherit the privilege of being a joint-heir with Christ in his kingdom?

Upon what basis are the body members of Christ selected?

In what way does marriage illustrate the relationship which exists between Christ and the church?

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