"I think the one great lesson the Lord has taught me over these years is that the importance of the family and the local congregation supersedes every other relationship to which the Christian is called. Christians demonstrate the glory of God and the power of the gospel by the way we marry and stay married, by the way we raise our children, by the way we love each other, and by the way we live faithfully in the congregation of believers. In the end, I fear that far too much energy is devoted to and far too many hopes are invested in institutions, programs, and projects that will not last. The centrality of Christ’s purpose to glorify himself in His church and the blessings of God that are directed to the precious gift of the family — these far exceed our other allegiances."
I think this is so important. A huge part of our lives are lived out with our family and our church. If we fail to apply the Word of God to the relationships we have in these spheres then our relationship with God will suffer (cf. 1 Peter 3). However, it is, as Dr. Mohler says, a glorious thing when husbands love & lead their wives as Christ does the church, when wives submit to their husbands as unto the Lord, when children obey their parents, when fathers (and mothers) raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, when the body of Christ bears one anothers burdens.
These relationships are NOT ends to themselves, but should serve to glorify Jesus Christ and proclaim His name to an unbelieving world. A godly family and a godly church are some of the most powerful witnesses that exist.
Jonathan
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