Revival is important. It begins in a person and if it doesn’t start there, it won’t. Before it can go forward into the church it must go through the home. Home is important. Be thankful for the home you have and the home you have here in the church. God put us here for a purpose as he put us in our homes for a purpose.
Proverbs 1: 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
King Solomon wrote these proverbs on what children need to know. They were for his household and those of the whole world. The institution of the home was set long before Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai. Some say they are New Testament Christians and in a way that’s right; the gospel pointing the way to salvation is there. We must be whole Bible Christians though. The Old Testament was given to Israel but is for all of us. We’re incomplete if we think we can disregard the Old Testament. The gospel saved us but we can’t forget the laws of the Lord.
In the beginning God created Eve for Adam so he wouldn’t be alone. They sinned and became guilty of trespassing against God. They didn’t keep one simple law. They were not forced to eat of the forbidden fruit. It was a choice. Life is full of choices for us all. God will not force anyone to be saved. He made each of us a free agent, and we have freedom to decide our priorities.
Jesus came and died to give the entire world a choice for salvation. Before Jesus came there wasn’t one. The Old Testament ended without being complete. Jesus is the new testament and the fulfillment of the old one. It all came to one point in time that God sent his son who gave himself in our stead on the cross. This gives us all the opportunity—the choice—to choose Jesus. You can choose to throw away your soul and go to hell or see how sinful you are and accept the work of Jesus on Calvary. Admit you’re a sinner in need of a Savior and then trust Jesus as that Savior. Only those who have been born again make it to the kingdom of God. No matter how good a mom you are, no matter how good a dad you are—you won’t go to heaven without Jesus. A soldier who dies in combat doesn’t go to heaven because of that. No one gets to heaven on their own goodness. It’s not about how good we are but how good God is.
The meaning of home and family has changed in the past few years. Who would have ever thought our representatives would need to put forth a bill to defend marriage as a union of man and woman. Then who would have ever thought it wouldn’t pass. The devil knows if he can destroy the home he can get to the nation. Solomon said fools despise wisdom and instruction. Our country used to be strong because those in authority followed the Lord. We’re in a nosedive now. We need to get back to the Law of the Lord.
In the midst of a now sinful nature Adam and Eve had children. Cain, the older, killed Abel, the younger. Adam and Eve were still alive physically but they had died spiritually and sin abounded. The events of the Tower of Babel happened because of sin. The flood in Noah’s day was because of sin. It kept growing and growing. The best instruction is not on television or the news. It is the Word of God. You can lead your children either by the Bible or the code of the world. Let the Lord speak to you and he’ll tell you what to do. Men need to lead the home as the woman help guide. Knowing the fate of the souls of our children lies in our hands should motivate parents to instruct children in the ways of the Lord. You can choose to serve the God of the Bible or the god of this world. Get to church with your children. Verse 9 says for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. Kids are counting on you mom and dad. Kids, we’re counting on you. Home is what we make it. Allow God to make it what he wants it to be. God, the Bible, right and wrong depend on us. The future of the children is dependent upon the present you give them now.
Remember the law of the mother and the instruction of the father. Only in that is there salvation. Only there is hope after this life. God calls us all. Children, honor your parents. Parents, guide the home. See that it’s done. Love each other. Obey the law of the Lord so that it is the law of the home.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 