Page 10 - September 2023 - Truth & Tidings

The Design of the Family meaning “son/daughter of the command-
Discovering who we are as Christians ments” is a celebration declaring that the
is fundamental and should have a trans- child now has all the rights and obliga-
forming effect in our lives. In this article tions of a Jewish adult. Interestingly, Luke
we will observe the twin truths of being 2:49 records our Lord at the Temple, age
born as children and placed as sons in the 12, sitting in the midst of the teachers, lis-
family of God. tening and asking questions, and all that
Intended for the blessing of the human heard Him were astounded at His under-
race, God introduced the family unit on standing and answers. When questioned
the grounds of creation, providing an un- by His concerned mother, He simply
derstanding of this dual identity. God, the answered, “I must be about my Father’s
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celebrant of that first marriage, instructed business.” Arriving at maturity and tak-
them to “be fruitful and multiply,” sanc- ing responsibility is God’s intention for us.
tioning an environment where love could Entering God’s family by birth, we confess
blossom between husband and wife, pro- that spiritually there were wobbly steps
creation could take place, and children in and garbled sounds. In the home under
all their vulnerability could be nurtured, Christian parents, and/or in the assembly
educated and given responsibility within under the guidance of elders, we’re given
a family. Unknown to humanity, God was spiritual instruction and increased respon-
drawing a picture of what He purposed sibilities with a view to spiritual maturity.
for Himself. The Dignity of Sonship
The Delight, Dependence and In Galatians 4, Paul pictures a child
Development of Children born into a family of great wealth and
Who could tire of gazing upon a new- standing. The child is heir of all that the
born babe? Parents peep into the crib, father has and in due time will receive the
beholding that precious child with its inheritance. While he remains a child, he’s
miraculously formed features. Moth- under the control and direction of instruc-
ers rise countless times to feed, change, tors and is no different in practice to the
cuddle and care for the child, and whilst slaves of the same house! The vital lesson
that period of time is both exhausting and for the Galatians (and us) was that being
wonderful, we know it’s limited and never under the Mosaic Law was to be as a mi-
envisage that children remain babies for- nor, under restraint and unable to access
ever. Parents delight in the development the full privileges and responsibilities of
of their children – the first smile, garbled sonship. But when the fulness of the time
sounds to words, wobbly steps, and the was come, God sent forth His Son, born of
babe from the crib is up and going! Ros- a woman, born under the law, to redeem
ters are prepared, chores are given, and them that were under the law. Christ dealt
the child that was so utterly dependent with the consequences of the law, bearing
becomes a benefit to the household. the curse on our behalf. Ignominiously,
In Jewish households there is a Bar we were once children of the devil, of dis-
(son) or Bat (daughter) Mitzvah for each ¹ Bible quotations in this article are from the
child arriving at the age of 12. This phrase KJV.

266 TRUTH kTidings September 2023