Family

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In the last article we looked at the family as a team with an owner (God), a head coach (the husband), and assistant coach (the wife), and the team (the whole family). In this article I want us to look at what happens when the father, the head coach, doesn’t do his job.

Exodus 20:1-6 gives us the first two of the Ten Commandments: “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”

When we simplify these commandments to their simplest form we usually state them this way: Thou shalt have no other gods before me and Thou shalt not make for thyself any graven image. The first tells us that we are not to worship any other god and the second tells us not to make an image of anything and bow down to it. In other words, nothing is to come between God and us.

There are consequences to what we do with these commandments. If we don’t obey them our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and maybe our great-great-grandchildren suffer. God visits the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.

This does not mean that He punishes our children for our sin. It means that our children will follow the training they receive from their fathers. The father’s most important training tool is his example. When the fathers bad example is followed by the children they suffer God’s judgment just like their father does.

The reason it goes to the third and fourth generation is because this is the number of generations that will see his example before his death. If something doesn’t change in the lives of the children this can carry on through a lot of generations.

On the other hand, if the father sets a good example by keeping these two commandments God’s mercy is spread to thousands. The effect is not only on his family, but upon the families influenced by him and his family.

A study was done of two families, one had an ungodly father, and the other had a godly father. Let’s take a look at what was found.

A study of 540 families who descended from one Max Jukes were studied. Of them 208 were paupers, 280 were criminals (seven were murderers and sixty were thieves, the crimes of the rest were not listed). Of the twenty who learned a trade, ten of them learned it in state prison. Many were drunkards, more that half the women were harlots, and more than sixty had syphilis. The cost of the harlotry alone on the state was more than one and a quarter million dollars. This was a lot more money at the time (late 19th century and early 20th century) than it is now.

Now lets look at the family of Johnathan Edwards. Of His descendants all most none were lawbreakers, more than 100 were lawyers and 30 were judges, 13 were college presidents and many more were professors, 62 were physicians, 100 were clergymen, missionaries, and theological professors, 80 were elected to political office (three mayors, three governors, several in the House of Representatives, three senators, one vice-president), 60 were famous authors with 135 books to their credit, 75 were army or navy officers, and one was the comptroller of the US treasury.

So, what was the difference? Johnathan Edwards taught his children to honor God in their lives. He taught them to work hard and contribute to society. He taught them submission to authority. He taught them to raise their families with biblical precepts. He taught them to choose a godly spouse so these things could be passed on.

On the other hand, Max Jukes simply neglected to teach his children any standards at all. The farther doesn’t have to actually teach bad behaviour, he just has to neglect to teach good behavior and be a bad example.

Psalms 1:1-6 tells us how to be blessed of God and therefore raise godly children: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

The first three principles are stated in the negative. First, don’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly. The world is full of Dr. Laura’s and Dr. Phil’s. Much of what they teach may be superficially good but there is just enough that is contrary to God’s precepts to ruin everything. Listening to them just to “get the good stuff” is walking in their counsel.

Secondly, don’t stand in the way of sinners. Walking in the counsel of the ungodly causes one to stop and stand sill with sinners. One looses discernment of good and evil and the sense what what is right and wrong is lost.

The third principle is don’t sit in the seat of the scornful. This third principle is the result of the first two. It leads to a disdain for the things of God. When. God doesn’t punish immediately one looses the fear of God. With the loss of the fear of God comes scorn for the precepts of God.

Note the three steps.

Walking – Just in passing by

Standing – Stopping to learn more

Sitting – Joining with

The next two principles that is expressed in the positive. We are to delight in the law of the Lord. This delight comes from knowing that obedience brings blessings. This delight causes us to meditate in God’s law day and night. This means it is always in our minds causing us to follow what it says.

Following God’s precepts gives us spiritual strength. Just as the tree gets its nourishment from water, the Christian gets nourishment from the Word of God. Proper nourishment brings good fruit. This spiritual strength endures into old age and produces prosperity.

The last two verses of our text show us the result of not following God’s precepts. The ungodly just go with the flow of life like a leaf blown in the wind. There is nothing to guide them trough the maze of life. The result is families like the Jukes family. Their lives will be a testimony against them and they will not be able to stand in the time of judgment.

Ignorance is no excuse. Ignorance means not to know but it implies making no effort to know or ignoring the obvious.

The ungodly will not stand in the congregation of the righteous (The saved). The way of the righteous is eternal salvation. The way of the ungodly is eternal perdition.

It matters how we live our lives and how we raise our families. It doesn’t just affect us, it affects our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and our great-great-grandchildren. This implies that it takes three to four generations for the effect of the father to be overcome. When we are faithful to God’s precepts we have a positive effect that reaches to thousands. The choice, fathers, is ours!

Dr. Pierre Coovert was saved at the age of 17 over 50 years ago. He has been a missionary, pastor, and evangelist for more than 30 years. He is greatly concerned about the state of modern Christianity and his desire is to see Christians return to the righteousness of the Scriptures. See his blog at http://awaketorighteousness.com

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