Family Matter: Father Mother Son Daughter

© 2021 Dr. Gilbert H. Edwards, Sr.. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/26/2021

ISBN: 978-1-6655-2760-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-2759-0 (e)

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CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

Chapter I Family Personhood

Chapter II Family Environment

Chapter III Family Marriage

Chapter IV Family Sexual Nature

Chapter V Family Companionship

Chapter VI Family As One Flesh

Chapter VII Family Childbearing

Chapter VIII Family Childhood And Youth

Chapter IX Family Female Subordination

Chapter X Family Education

Chapter XI Family Multiple Wives

Chapter XII Family Conflicts

Chapter XIII Family Relationships

Chapter XIV Family Disobedenence

Chapter XV The Family Role In Relationships

Chapter XVI Family Communication In Relationships

Chapter XVII Family Intermarriage

Chapter XVIII Family Priorities

Chapter XIX Family Accepting Covenant

Chapter XX Family Authentic Love

Chapter XXI Family Parental Failure

Chapter XXII Family Violence

Chapter XXIII Family Symbolic Nature

Chapter XXVI Family Sexual Fulfillment

Chapter XXV Family Divorce

Chapter XXVI Family Forgiveness

Chapter XXVII Family New Selfhood

Chapter XXVIII Family Mutual Respect

Chapter XXIX Family Needs Fulfillment

Chapter XXX Family Social Concern

Chapter XXXI Family Single

Chapter XXXII Family Prayer

Chapter XXXIII Family Economic Support

Chapter XXXIV Family Accepted Grace

Chapter XXXV Family Continuing Growth

Chapter XXXVI Family Creation

Chapter XXXVII Family Special Concerns

Bibliography

PREFACE

This book has been prepared with common orders for the guidance of the family household. The author has focused on the idea of family in the household. There seems to be some confusion and uncertainty of how the family order works, such as the love of every member of the family and the role they play within the family.

The author feels that the man should know about the role, order, guidelines and relationships within the family household. Man has to know that God started the family, and He is concerned about the family. He created the ideal family household consisting of a husband, wife, son(s) and daughter(s). The author will try to point out and focus on the family and their household.

INTRODUCTION

Family living consists of a combination of roles played in various settings; in the Church, in the community, marriage in the family, etc. The author will attempt to point out subjects that will give a guideline for many who are concerned about the family.

The meaning of family; a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household. First, there must be a personhood: the image of God, which is the basis for defining human personhood. We are created with the capacity for relationships with God as the Creator, and with each other as fellow humans. This makes family life possible. The divine image makes family life possible. Divine image makes human beings different from all of God’s other earthly creations.

Family Environment; the first chapters of Genesis introduce the theme of appreciation for the physical environment. (Genesis 2:4-17) Human life has been given an environment conducive to growth and entrusted with responsibility for using it well. Human marriages; God intended marriage to meet the basic need of love and companionship.

The first song in the Bible was sung by a man in joyous celebration of God’s gift of a wife to him. The ideal marriage still produces this kind of rejoicing (Genesis 2:18; 20-25). From the very act of creation, unity within the marriage relationship is set forth in terms of oneness. The expression describing this companion literally means a helper alongside of him a beautiful description of the relationship, which God intended, between husband and wife (Genesis 2:18). One of God’s purposes for marriage is companionship. Companionship; to help one another, are suitable or compatible for one another, and are able to stand alongside and share their personal lives. The unique quality of this companionship was demonstrated when Adam could not find a creature corresponding to himself among the animals that he was commissioned to name. The woman was built from a portion of the man’s side, the suitable companion shares the same physical nature.

The basic implication of this text focuses on the similarity of man and woman, and on their mutual needs for each other. Because of their similarities, the man and woman can marry and establish one flesh union that takes priority over all other family relationships.

CHAPTER I

FAMILY PERSONHOOD

Personhood means the quality or condition of being an individual person. It is the image of God that makes a person different. People are distinguished from the rest of God’s animals that he created – in that they are His image. The Bible emphasizes that people are the creatures of God, the Creator. At the same time, life is passed on from parent to child in the normal life processes of conception and birth. Personhood comes before marriage. God brought every creature that He had made to Adam, but there was none suitable for him. Before marriage, the persons have to be of the same quality of being.

Human life is inherently social and needs human relationships for satisfactory development. Marriage is the fundamental response to this need, but more generally, human beings need interaction with other people in order to become whole persons. This speaks of Adam finding a suitable individual for him. Adam was looking for that personhood, which is the quality in that person. Adam did not take the first thing he saw, but he waited for the right mate.

In personhood, you look for that inward personality in that person. There is a need for good sense in a person. They must process a good character.

Love and faithfulness are two key biblical virtues. Love is a self-denying readiness to help other people. It represents a reciprocal relationship of service beyond social duties. Faithfulness indicates trustworthiness, reliability and loyalty. The work of love is to bring a smoothness in family relationships. Such love does not gloss over difficulty; rather, it provides the energy needed to bring the sometimes difficult results of forgiveness and reconciliation. Persons of integrity are marked by patience, slowness to anger and humility. Patience is the opposite of quick temper. A right understanding of love will usher in forgiveness and forgetfulness about an offensive act. Good character is shown by our ability to form friendships, or pattern of ethical living is to put off the negative and put on the positive. A positive person turns attention away from personal desires and achievements to relation with and needs of the family. Love is the center from which the family’s attitude flows.

Self-control is a primary ingredient of family character. A person has the responsibility to choose the will to do the right and reject the wrong. The life of peace characterized by a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation is to be a distinguishing facet of the person’s life-style. This peace can be recognized by its application to prevent boiling over of quarrels into full scale breakdowns in relationships and by its continual presence in all day-to-day activities. Losing control affects our whole being. Gaining the control of your anger can provide a key to the maturing expression of a more positive virtue in your character. A person is obligated to learn God’s moral expectations and obey them. Ethical behavior is rooted in strong personal devotion. Paul, in the book of Romans (12:12), is being transformed and making a thorough change in character.

Human beings are created to be like God. Some degree of physical likeness is implied by the use of identical terms to describe the likeness between Adam and the rest of creation. The divine image is of far more significance than this. However, it clearly includes authority and responsibility in so far as the natural world is concerned. The image of God may also be revealed in the male-female relationship of love and commitment. God is revealed through the loving commitment of one human being for another. God bestowed upon man the unique characteristics of Himself, by making them in His own likeness. Therefore, man and woman reflect and reveal the Creator’s characteristics. God made man in His image to represent Him in the world. As human beings, we hold a special place of importance and service in God’s perfect plan.

God wants man to be holy. Man is to strive for holiness and he shall be holy. God is demanding men to sanctify themselves. Israel is bidden to be holy (Leviticus 11:44). This demand has two aspects – one positive and the other negative. The positive aspect may be called the imitation of God, and the negative aspect means the withdrawal from things impure and abominable. It was the duty of the Israelites to strive, for as far as it was attainable by man, to avoid whatever would defile them, whether physically or spiritually. Whenever men and women honestly strive after holy living, such striving carries its own fulfillment with it. For I am holy; this constitutes the basis for your duty to