THE FAMILY UNDER ATTACK

 

Psalm 127:1-2 speak volumes about our present climate in a world that is fallen and seeking to live for self. The opening of this Psalm reveals the bankruptcy of man as they do everything in the flesh, to please the flesh. Solomon, a man who is an expert on this issue declares through the Spirit “those who build it… labor in vain” (v1) This will be the continual fall of man if we don’t recognize that everything we do is vanity without God being at the center in this fallen world.

 

What we are about to discuss this morning could get me in trouble with the Government from a federal and local level. So I covet your prayers as we begin this unfolding on the attack of the family. And if by God’s providence I end up in a jail for this, may I say with John Bunyan. “I will stay in prison till the moss grows on my eye lids rather than disobey God.” 

Satan and his fallen agents, this present Government, is out to destroy

the family, as it is God’s idea. We see these attacks prevalent in popular culture, including TV sitcoms that promote LGBT/plus relationships as a healthy and safe way of life. This is also evident in the worldwide acceptance of this sort of lifestyle, and sexual behavior that is contrary to God’s plan for the family. One writer wrote, “The nuclear family: dad, mom, kids. It’s a key concept in Western society and it’s founded on the principle of mom and dad – your biological or adoptive mom and dad – as your “parents.” Let me ask you….a question as we see the family under attack not by society at large but by the Government we claim to obey as they rule over us.

What came before Government?

The answer…… is the family.

 

We read in Genesis 1:26-28 “Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." In Genesis 2:18-24 we read, “Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Jesus reaffirms what He said amoung the Godhead when it comes to the institution of the family. “But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." Mark 10:6-9

 

This is how God orchestrated the establishment of the home, the family, to function for His glory and our good. But something happened! Well the obvious result is the fall, the sin of mankind has severed the perfect plan of God, but this plan is still foundational for a healthy society or a country. The reason we have Government and the church, is because we live in a fallen world; but it doesn’t change what came first…..The Family! Why? Moses said this, “Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. "And when the LORD your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the LORD your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you—for the LORD your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the LORD your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth. "You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you.” Deut 6:3-17

 

That command fell on deaf ears, because years later Samuel rebuked their idol worship or idol following by saying “And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods…..and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." 1 Sam 7:3. The nation failed to do this due to their desire to be ruled or to have someone rule over them…… that wasn’t God. Why? Samuel was of old age and his sons were not like dad, and they begged him, “We need a king as the other nations had to rule over them.” But Samuel warned Israel about what they were asking “So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. He said, "These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you…” (In other words this wasn’t going to be good for them). 1 Sam 8:10-11. This warning fell on deaf ears and they would soon regret their decision for a king and would later cry out for freedom from his rule. 1 Sam 8:12-18. What will happen with this cry of Israel? “but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” 1 Sam 8:18. The only reason we have Government, and the Church, is because of the fall of the home. We wouldn’t need Government or the church if people lived and obeyed the Lord when He established the home in the Book of beginnings. But know! The church needs to be the church….I think we are regretting it as the Israelite’s did in Samuel’s day when they needed someone to forcibly rule over them. And this society we live under right now is doing everything in its power to destroy the family at any cost. 

Last month the federal parliament of Canada passed Bill C-4 with the support of all political parties and no opposition from any elected member of parliament. Bill C-4 comes into effect on January 16th, 2022.

What is Bill C-4? To outright prohibit both adults and children from being subjected to harmful conversion therapy practices, through four new Criminal Code offences including making it a crime punishable by up to five years in prison to cause another person to undergo conversion therapy is defined broadly as a practice, treatment or service designed to…… (a) change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual; (b) change a person’s gender identity to cisgender; (c) change a person’s gender expression so that it conforms to the sex assigned to the person at birth; (d) repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behavior; (e) repress a person’s non-cisgender gender identity; (f) repress or reduce a person’s gender expression that does not conform to the sex assigned at birth. 

This is now Canadian Law from a federal level. 

This bill, while claiming to protect individuals from coercion and abuse in the form of “conversion therapy,” will instead criminalize Christianity in our country. This bill’s wording is sufficiently broad to allow for the criminal prosecution of Christians who would speak biblical truth into the lives of those in bondage to sexual sins like homosexuality and transgenderism. A mother or father who offers their children freedom from sexual sin through repentance and faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ could be threatened with five years in jail. What did Isaiah say? “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20. It’s calling good evil and evil good. “Whereas conversion therapy causes harm to the persons who are subjected to it.” Yet, Bill C4 promotes a type of conversion that uses puberty blockers, surgeries to remove breasts and other sexual organs, hormone treatments, and this is truly harmful that results in mental confusion that is manifest in ridiculous suicide rates.

This is yet another attack on the family because it’s contrary

to what God intended for the family. It begins here! 

1. The Attack On The Institution Of Marriage And The Marriage Bed.

God has ordained marriage as a covenant bond to establish the family through a man a woman in marriage as they become one flesh. In Gen 2:22  we read, “And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” Gen 2:22-25. In this passage there is innocence, there is no reason for shame. There is purity, a sacred promise, and covenant, that God brings together for His glory and you’re marriage. God designed marriage to be a committed covenant relationship, a sacred, sanctified relationship of mutual love lasting a lifetime. Covenant …….is “a vow, a pledge or a promise” So in simple terms, a Christian marriage is a covenant agreement in which a man and a woman, both committed to Jesus Christ, are legally, physically, and spiritually joined as husband and wife. (the beginning of family) 

We see that structure, the roles for the family when Paul wrote “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,” (This the roles for the family and the children’s role is found in the next chapter. “Obey your parents”.) Eph 5:22-29

 This present culture, our present and future Government, if they don’t repent  are saying, “Go ahead and express your sexuality any way you feel, so long as it makes you happy and it makes you feel good. You can be whatever you want to be….. a dog, a cat, a lizard, a baby,  a different gender; your sexual freedom begins today Jan 22. What does this do? I believe Pastor Tim Stephens of Calgary said it best, “It’s defamatory. It defames the name of God, relegates his word to a myth and the obvious testimony of nature as a mere stereotype. It relegates the beauty of sexuality, manhood, and womanhood as social constructs rather than creational norms.” And you Bible believing Christians, will no longer be able to bug the sick, the confused, the sexual immoral anymore. Our Canadian Government is throwing basic science and creational norms out the window, to embrace, suit, and to please our sinful depravity. But what does the Scripture say about our sexuality? “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Heb 13:4 

2. The Attack On The Family Mechanics In How They Are To Function Properly In A Fallen World.

Paul explains the family mechanic as God intended in the Garden found in his letter to the church. As I already read in Ephesians 5:22 and Eph 6:4). The home is where the Word of God is taught and preserved, and where sound-doctrine is explained and lived out. This is the Scriptural mechanics of the home.  A life of faith which was characterized for Timothy in the home. “And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” 2 Tim 3:15. It was Timothy’s grandmother, then his mother, and then his own. It was from childhood he was “acquainted with the sacred writings” Parents must give the Scriptures priority in the home because God’s Word is the necessary foundation. Satan has done a masterful job at keeping families so busy that they have little time to read the Bible, let alone study it and put it into practice in their lives. 

Spending time in God’s Word and waiting

upon God is essential for the home. 

When parents spend time with God and allow their behavior to be guided by God’s Word, this will produce Christlikeness in them that will draw their children’s hearts to God. Prov 22:6 gives us what is important to raise our children in a society that is in complete rebellion towards God and family. “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” 

It’s not the Government & local magistrates job to that.

It’s not the education systems job to do that.

Its’ not the health care systems job to do that.

It’s not party-elected Federal judge’s jobs to do that. 

It’s the homes responsibility, but here is the warning!  If we hand over our children to the so-called professionals, it is possible we are opening the door to Caesar. So don’t be surprised as Voddie Baucham said. “They come home smelling, and talking, like Romans.” It’s the churches responsibility to uphold one another in accountability that we will do what Joshua said and demonstrated. “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:14-15 

3. The Attack On The Image Bearer Of God To Speak Truth In The Christian Home.

God created man and woman and that simple understanding of biology is no longer a truth in our broken society. Every person is an image-bearer of God and that means your soul, your neighbor’s soul, and the confused soul, needs to hear Biblical truth and see Biblical love that is spoken and expressed by His church. If we don’t express God’s gospel truth in love, the opposite is true. We hate them. As Penn Gillette, a well-known performer & atheist said, “I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe there is a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward. “How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?”

The Gospel is for someone, and we don’t know who that someone is, and if we don’t speak because out of fear, then we are not being the church at all. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Cor 6:9-11. We cannot love anyone by staying silent, especially when a culture is steering confused sinners into the ditch of depravity and God’s wrath.

 Everything in this life is a gospel issue and Bill C4 is another

attack on what was instituted by God.

 

The Family has been devalued by the Government

and big institutions. 

This is the great divide or the great attack on the institution of the family which affects the church and our communities.  (And it’s not just this, but it affects the family. For example…. The Institution/Government is trying to divide us about the colour of our skin. The Institution/Government is trying to divide communities on Vaccinations, by pitting neighbor against neighbor. This is how bent our society has become! CTV News headline read this January 5^th, “Ontario hospitals urge pregnant people to get vaccine, cite infant COVID admissions.” This is how crazy the attack on the family has gotten. We have become a society that the Government endorses, where we can’t even recognize the only gender that God created to withstand the pain, the ability, and the parts, to give birth to a human being. All this has led to a great divide in our local, and provincial communities, whether you see it or are ignorant towards it. The Government is trying to divide the family because they know who set the family over everything………. “In the beginning God….” Gen 1:1. And they want us to hate our brother, or sister, and this has lead families to behave the same way, it’s a total breakdown of the family to what God created first. And this Bill C4 that went into law today is a another brick removed from the foundation of the family. It’s another wedge or attack on the family as fallen Christian parents try to do, guide, and live their lives according to the Scripture. Bill C4 is to tell  the Christian home and the church to “Shut up” this isn’t your concern, but it does concern me! It’s a gospel issue. 

A sinner’s soul hangs in the balance of God’s wrath

as His image-bearer.

 

A sinner’s needs to hear gospel truth spoken into their hearts with love and compassion by moms, dads and the church.

 

One author wrote this, “God, Who created the family, has provided the divine design and instruction in His Word so that families can flourish. Our best defense is to know the pattern, so that we will be able to discern Satan’s subtle attacks, and to let the fruit of the Spirit characterize our lives. We need godly leadership, respect, and love, along with fervent prayer and dependence on God. He alone can preserve our families for His own honor. May God help families to follow His truth and cling closely to Him.” It begins and ends with the home. God help us and we call our Nation, our Capital our Country to repentance before it’s too late. God bless the family and keeps it strong seeking Him because “unless the LORD builds, watches over the house, the city it will fall, and great is that fall”.