Marriage & Family

Family and marriage are two different things which we usually confuse to be one. Failure to differentiate these two brings a lot of confusion among both the marriage couples and parents. Someone might poke his nose on something that does not concern him thinking it is the other thing. For example, marriage is a relationship between a man and woman only, while family consists of a man and woman, children or blood relatives in the home.
 

What is Family?
Family is the foundational institution of unity of society ordained by God. Family is constituted by marriage between a man and a woman from different families. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption.
Family is a fundamental institution of human society. Genesis.2:20-25 serves a good example where we see God join together the two, Adam and Eve. Upon seeing the wife, Adam was filled with joy and excitement, and he declared:

“This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man”. Gen 2:23
Adam felt the deep and intimate relationship that was between him and the woman, yet she was a distinct creation of God that came out of man, and he called her a woman because she was taken from a man.

In order to establish this relationship, God put froth a everlasting principle,” Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” Gen. 2:24. This is a principle that governs human marriage and family, and we see the family being established in Genesis 4:1 when Adam and Eve begin to reproduce in their own kind. (See also Exod.20:5-6, Romans 11:28).

The Godhead consists of the Father, the Word (the Son), and the Holy Ghost. These three “Persons” exist as one unit. So is it to be in a human family because man was designed in the likeness of God (Gen 1:26, 27). As every human has three “parts”: a body, soul, and spirit (1 Thess. 5:23) so every family has three “parts”: the father, mother, and the children.  Family that is based on biblical principles begins with marriage. Without marriage between a man and a woman there is no family. As we have seen, Adam‟s family begun with marriage.

What is Marriage
Marriage is the lifetime agreement of union between a man and woman from different families, instituted and ordained by God as the most intimate and sacred human relationship (Gen.2:18,24). Marriage is God‟s ordained institution, and it does not include polygamous relationships,

” Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh “Genesis 2; 24.
Marriage involves one man leaving his parents and one woman leaving her parents, and the two are united to each other for life (Matthew 19:3-6). Marriage is a sacred institution and must be honored and undefiled. God says,

“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” Hebrews 13:4

Marriage is a divine institution, and believers must live by its principles. Purity, loyalty, integrity and love are the walls that protect marriage from sexual sin. These virtues are to be observed and protected, else they be rendered useless, from traditions and culture of men.

                                                             About The Author
Bishop Dr. Blackson Makhumba Banda is a Christian Life Coach, Marriage Therapist, Christian Leadership trainer, Church and Community Mobilizer, NGO/CBO Management Trainer, Bible teacher, author, and a serving pastor under Living Waters Church Int’l, where he is currently serving as the Principal at Wings of Eagle Bible College- Mzuzu, of the Living Waters Church. Before responding to a full time pastoral call, Blackson had served in various leadership positions as a young adult and church elder in Baptist and Living waters respectively, since 1984.
 
 Dr. Makhumba B (as is usually called) is also a founder and principal coordinator of Happy Family, Happy Church Ministry (under Divine Charisma Foundation), based in the northern region of Malawi (Mzuzu). He also has eight books in his credit; Why do Christians suffer, Life and Abortion (Counting the Cost) ; published by Gift of Faith in Blantyre, and The Personal Work (A handy book for a Christian Worker);published by Parables  in the USA, Mystery of A Happy Marriage, Shaky Foundations, Effective Communication, I know Who I Am, and Fearfully & Wonderfully Made