Over the last few years, I have seen this representation of the Biblical order of the family shared many times. (Note, this version contains some personal additions meant to represent more accurately what I understand to be Biblical.)
Well-meaning Christians keep the picture going and I do not fault them for it. At first blush, it seems to be a fair representation of the biblical order of the family. It is certainly better than is practiced in many homes, even Christian ones. But it falls short in what it does not include. This failure is in what I consider to be the grossest of areas.
It leaves out the protection of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
Is it a subtle teaching of modalism?
Is it a propagation of the Jesus only movement?
It is a gross oversight to forget that our family is the heartbeat of all three persons of the Godhead.
It leaves out the function of the local church in the protection of the family
Besides the Word of God, no earthly element is more important to the family than the church. One could make the argument that, without the teaching of the church, a family’s application of the Word of God is severely hampered.
Two key passages are:
Colossians 2:9 (KJV)
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
In Jesus Christ is the fullness of the Godhead. Jesus is not God the Father and Jesus is not God the Holy Spirit, but Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead.
Ephesians 1:23 (KJV)
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
The local church is the fullness of Jesus.
Get that!
- · Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead and
- · The local church is the fullness of Jesus
Without the local church then, Christ is only an idea. He functions in and through His body; a local organized congregation of believers instituted into a local church.
Marvin McKenzie
In the Fields
Marvin McKenzie
In the Fields
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