Articles
Children in the Home
Last time we learned that one of God's purposes for the Home is companionship. From the book of Genesis, we learn that God has another purpose for the Home, and that is, procreation or the propagation of humanity.
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Genesis 1:27-28).
God intended that "shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Genesis 2:24) that they should bear children. We find that Adam and Eve (the first Home) obeyed God's purpose of the Home and bore children. "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground" (Genesis 4:1-2).
Children are one of life's greatest joys. The Psalmist said, "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate" (Psalms 127:3-5). The Wise Man said, "Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers" (Proverbs 17:6).
When a man and a woman are intending to get married, they should know how their future spouse feels about the bearing and raising of children. There are those who, for whatever reason – too busy, too selfish or just don't want the responsibility - just don't want to have children. Before you marry, find out how your future partner in marriage feels about children.
The bearing of children also brings very important responsibilities for fathers and mothers toward their children. Paul commanded, "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Fathers also have the grave responsibility of supporting or providing the needs of their children. Paul said, "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel" (I Timothy 5:8). Paul also taught that older women are to teach the younger women "to love their children" (Titus 1:4).
Too many times fathers and mothers do not fulfill their obligations that they have regarding their children, thus sinning against God. There is certainly much more to being a father or a mother to children than just producing them.
