Our Big Mistake?
As Christians:
Our Biggest Mistake is that we've put the nuclear family ahead of the body of Christ (in terms of importance).
This is a quote of my rommate Michael in a 2 hour long conversation/rant/debate that we had recently alongside our other roommate Joash.
It's kind of a serious idea and I don't mean to offend anybody off the back. And if you're one of the many commenters who has a nuclear family and they are clearly the most important thing to you, please don't think I'm saying that it shouldn't be that way. In fact, I'm not convinced that it shouldn't, but when Michael put it this way it kind of caught me by surprise.
The conversation we were having started with one of us saying that the most important thing for a Christian to do in this world is to procreate, i.e. to have kids and extend the faith as well as his or her life and legacy.
It was said to spark discussion and also because this type of thinking is very predominate in Christianity today.
I made the first statement and my roommate Joash agreed with the statement (although I was saying it to be incindiary). Michael disagreed and the three of us proceeded to talk about the merits and responsibility of Christians to have children and make family a huge priority in life.
Michael pointed out that there's nothing wrong with starting a family but that our obsession with it isn't necessarily Biblical or genetic but rather a disposition stemming from years of cultural conditioning.
He argued that focusing on procreation may not be God's will for some, and can take away our ability to properly love others, i.e. orphans, widows, brothers and sisters in the church, and so on.
Joash responded that God has made us this way for a reason, and that it's both genetic and providential for us to respond to God in this natural way. Or to say it another way, "He made us this way for a reason."
I like Joash's argument, but I also like the way Michael phrased his point so eloquently in the quote above. I think its profound and perhaps there's merit to it. Hopefully you can educate us more, from either a Christian or a not Christian perspective. – dan.
nice usage of the word, “incindiary”!
good debate. paul says it is better to not marry … thus meaning that a nuclear family would not be possible (unless you are promiscuous and have many a love child), save your birth parents and siblings that you may have. however, once you grow and mature enough to leave the house (not sure if i’m this point in my life, hence why i married an incredible woman to take care of me at home), you will eventually leave and cleave to someone or something else (spouse, vocation, ministry, etc.)
yes, the nuclear family does take away from ministering to the body of christ, but ministering to the body of christ, also takes away from ministering to those who are sick and need jesus.
though paul does say it is better to not marry, you would be quite hard pressed to find anywhere in scripture that discusses the fact that one should not marry (i.e., it doesn’t exist). marriage is brilliant, but i can say that since i married katie, my ministry involvement has been drastically reduced. once i have kids, i can only imagine what it will look like.
when the 2.5 kids come and the house with the white picket fence is purchased, hopefullly my life lived in front of my wife, my kids, and my neighbors, will minister to all those within sptting distance.
is not our life supposed to be the good news of salvation? are we not to proclaim the joy of our salvation by way of our actions? why, then is there such a stink made when someone says that they can’t help out at the every other night church potluck due to the fact that their four year old child has a school play they are in as a rock?
though probably not a very popular idea, and one that probably isn’t backed up by any scriptural theologically divne statements, i would argue that once married our priorites should be as follows:
1. god (obvious)
2. family
3. non-believers
4. body of christ
i may get shot for saying that, but jesus came to seek and save, not the well, but the sick. true, we must be surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, but we are also called to go and make disciples of all nations. i believe that that means i must start at home. abraham did and out of him came a heritage greater than the stars in the sky and the sand on the shore.
wow … that was long. you know on pardon the interruption when the dude reads the scorecard of things mispoken or omitted? now it’s time for all y’all reading this to point out my mistakes. still, though, i’m having kids and putting their priorities first. then i’ll think about volunterring in the nursery.
three words: ed beth hohberg.