The ideal christian home – Part 1

Our topic is derived from one of the teachings during the 2018 Convention held at Methodist Church Nigeria, D/Line Cathedral, Port Harcourt from 13th to 16th December 2018.

Tagged “Bethel 2018” with the theme “The Church as Agent of Peace and Holiness.” In a lecture delivered by The Very Rev. Sam Ipole, the participants were made to know what makes the Ideal Home.

The text for our study is taken from 2 Chronicles 26:1-10.

We will begin by saying that “The Ideal Christian Home” is a place where the perfect standard of the life of Jesus Christ is in place.

If the society will be a habitable place for people to live together in peace and harmony, it must begin from a home.

If a home produces Godly character, the society will be a safe haven for all to live in. WE CAN ONLY HAVE A BETTER SOCIETY with good character, good conduct, peaceful and loving atmosphere, when we have an ideal Christian Home.

Hence, without an ideal home, the society can only get worse and be thrown into chaos. As good children are raised from good homes, so also armed robbers, kidnappers, drug addicts, prostitutes, etc are raised from bad homes. If the home is correct, the society will be correct. Hence, if the home is correct, the Church will be as well.

The same goes for all strata of our institutions. This is why it has become pertinent that we correct things from the home front.

If we have good parenting, we will have good children who grow into adulthood and become responsible in different professions, ranging from Pastors to even Presidents tomorrow.

Jesus honoured the home. His birthplace was mean (Luke 2:7) so far as external things go.

The house and the city, where His parents lived, showed plainly the poor estate of the family, which, while it was of noble lineage, was greatly reduced in circumstances. Jesus Himself learned and practised the trade of a carpenter.

In living in this home at Nazareth for thirty years of His life, Jesus showed that it was possible under hard outward conditions to live a noble life and to cultivate and practise those virtues and qualities, which afterwards so greatly blessed the whole world.

Let us x-ray what makes the Ideal Christian Home.

A Place of the Fear of God: In writing to Timothy (2 Timothy 1:5) Paul calls to mind the unfeigned faith that is in Timothy, which dwelt first in his grandmother Lois and then in his mother Eunice. Paul himself was brought up by devout parents.

The Bible has many instances of men, like that of Samuel, who was trained for great tasks in a religious household. The old proverb has it, “Like father, like son.”

If God is honoured by the parents and the home commended to Him, the children will be quite sure to honour Him also. Bring up your children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Have them ready to meet Christ at any time (Mark 13:34-37).

A place of Love: In the various vicissitudes of married life, and in the bringing up of children, the bond, which needs to be strengthened, and the duty which needs to be done, is that of love. Love can carry husband and wife over the more difficult places of life.

Paul says, “Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25-33; Colossians 3:18,19).

“Let everyone of you so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband” (Ephesians 5:33).