Families Together in Christ

Society is spending 40 percent less time in family relationships compared to 30 years ago, but there is hope!

God did not choose to exist in splendid isolation in His cosmos. Rather, He chose "community, " "family." For God is a Father. When this world was created, God was enlarging His family. The universe looked upon this beautiful planet sailing serenely through space with its tree-covered mountains, valleys, and rivers. As they beheld Adam and Eve running hand in hand through fields of flowers they burst into songs of praise to God. "The morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy."

God had said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him…and they will become one flesh." (Gen. 2:18, 24, NIV) This oneness was to become the source of their happiness and to reflect the unity of the trinity.

SIN SEPARATES. But there was trouble in paradise. The human race fell into sin. Sin separates and alienates --making true community impossible. Note the words of Adam: "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it." Sin drives wedges between husbands and wives, parents and children. Selfishness, "Me first," is the root problem in human society. This leads to isolation and fragmentation.

The American home is in serious trouble. One out of every two marriages ends in dissolution. Two out of every four children born in this decade will live in single parent families. We are spending 40 percent less time with our children today than we did 30 years ago. But there is hope. CHRIST CAME TO BRING US TOGETHER. Jesus prayed…"That all of the may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you." (John 17:21, NIV). Then He died on the cross as an atonement for our sins. It took the cross to demonstrate God’s great love. Consider the early church: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship…All the believers were together and had everything in common." (Acts 2:42-44, NIV).

This glorious demonstration of togetherness and fellowship was possible only in Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says: "Christian community…is a gift of God…Christian brotherhood is not an ideal. WE HAVE SOME CHOICES TO MAKE. We must put away our need to control, to fix people, our need for approval and to be liked. "God cannot make them one until they are willing to give up their own way for His way." (8T, p. 243).

THE CONFERENCE FAMILY LIFE DEPARTMENT is dedicated to bringing families together in true love, fellowship, and community. But let us remember that no matter how good our techniques, or how eloquent our presentations, nothing permanent will happen without the miracle of togetherness in Christ. Only in Jesus Christ can we be one; only in Him can we be bound together. "He is our peace." Without Christ there is discord. But, in Christ is oneness.

Our need is families together in Christ.