Divine intelligence has designed the whole creation in such a way that “isolation” is a detestable aberration. This fact is sufficiently substantiated and accurately portrayed by the Omniscient Creator when He affirmed, “it is not good that man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). By extended application, what is not good for the man is equally undesirable for the woman. Even in the kingdom of animals, whether aquatic or terrestrial, there is no such thing as a lone-ranger.
Everybody comes from a home or at least from the union of a father and a mother whether married or unmarried. Even Jesus did not just appear by means of some mystical manipulation; rather God decided that he who was to be the Saviour of the world should first be raised in the home setting. The ideal state of life therefore, both from human and divine perspective, is partnership, companionship, friendship.
The home in this context is seen as comprising a married couple with or without children. The term “Christian” qualifying the type of home we have in mind presupposes that the members of the said family are Christians. It is expedient at this juncture to understand who a Christian is. A Christian is someone who was once a sinner but at some point made a definite decision to turn away from his evil ways and accepted Christ’s offer of salvation by faith with the evidence of a brand new life. A Christian home or family is not necessarily a marriage ceremony conducted within the four walls of a cathedral neither is it the one whose ceremony was presided over by the Arch Bishop. Rather, it is that which is unanimously formed in a legally binding covenant, by one Christian man and one Christian woman who have agreed to live together for the rest of their life time.
For any Christian home to be worth its sort, deliberate efforts must be made to run the home by some practical, workable principles. Each party must play his part for the home to be an enviable one.
THE ROLE OF THE WIFE
The first and golden duty of a Christian wife in the home is SUBMISSION to her own husband (Eph5:22).This is first demonstrated when on their wedding day she publicly admits to forfeit her father’s name and takes pleasure in being called by her husband’s name. She recognizes and accepts him as her God-given head and leader of the newly formed home. She gives him the honour to take the lead in decision-making while making her own useful contribution as a partner in progress.
She is not a competitor but rather a firm support to her husband. She is the home maker and keeper, but she humbly allows him to rule it. Her humility is not feigned but flows from a sincere heart. She does not share in the ferocity of a wolf but rich in the attributes of a virtuous woman (Proverbs31:10-31). She derives her strength from her daily fellowship with God and free friendship with her husband and children. Her godly character is magnetic and wields positive influence on members of her household. Her diligence is evident in the tidiness of her home and neatness of her children. She herself emits an aroma of decency in appearance and epitomizes the love of Christ in her home and neighborhood. Little wonder, her husband is proud of her and she is a constant delight of her children.
THE ROLE OF THE HUSBAND
He has been captured by his wife’s sincere submission therefore his LOVE for her flows freely as tributaries from a river. It is very easy for him to obey the scriptural command of loving his wife (Ephesians 5:25, 28, 33). His love for her is not only sincere but also really sacrificial. He can go to any length and sacrifice anything just to make her a happy woman. He does not bully on her, lord it over her and reduce her to a second-rated, ill-fated subordinate. Rather, he sees her as a tender, cherishable companion that deserves to be loved, protected and cared for. Hence, a peaceful co-habitation is only normal in such a home.
Another cardinal role of a Christian husband is to take up the responsibility of a priest in the home. He must be able to gather enough grace to lead his household in the worship of the living God. He must ensure that the spiritual atmosphere of the home is sustained by both personal and corporate prayer. If the altar of intercession collapses in the home, he is to be blamed. He must ensure that the children are given total and comprehensive training scripturally, academically and socially. He must provide for the need of the entire household lest his Christianity is reduced to a mere lifeless profession for he that does not provide for those of his household is worse than an infidel. (1Timothy 5:8). Finally, he, as the head in the home must be a good example to be followed by members of his household.
THE ROLE OF THE CHILDREN
The Christian home in the real sense is a breeding ground for grooming godly and good-natured children. This is because they have emulated the humility of mum and copied the love of dad. Again, they have been severally taught that honour and obedience to parents is the rule and their first responsibility at home (Ephesians 6:1-3). Children are also expected to get involved in domestic cores to lend a helping hand to the parents and to develop a sense of responsibility in preparation for a promising adulthood. They fear God, they respect authority and by their exemplary lifestyle in the society, they bring honour to their parents and do their community proud.
In conclusion, this is a typical Christian home. There, Christ is exalted as Saviour and Lord and the peace that pervades that home is an evidence of His presence. He rules and reigns in every heart and His glory radiates from that home to all around.
When every party strives to fulfill his or her roles, transferring blames on the devil will reduce. Many talk so much about making a mistake in choice of a life partner because their marriages are not working when all they need is that everyone sits down to re-examine his or her role and thereby success comes in view.
Oh that we may have a Christian home!
