God established the first home on day six of the creation week.
After placing Adam in the garden of Eden and providing him with instructions regarding its care (Genesis 2:15), he concluded:
“It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him” (verse 18 NKJV).
God subsequently created woman from one of Adam’s ribs (verses 21-22). Eve was made to fill the void that would have otherwise existed. She complemented the man God created. With Eve by his side, Adam was better suited to perform the tasks God assigned to him.
A Change in the Relationship.
When Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit and compelled Adam to follow her example (see Genesis 3:6), their relationship changed. God placed the man in a position of authority over his wife (see verse 16).
Although we commonly focus on the way this change impacted Eve, Adam was not unaffected. As head of the home, he was given responsibilities previously unknown. He would be held accountable for leading his family according to God’s plan.
The Man’s Responsibility.
The assignment of leading the home extended beyond Adam’s situation. This responsibility continues to fall upon the shoulders of husbands and fathers today. Paul stressed this point when he wrote, “the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church” (Ephesians 5:23).
Our world is vastly different than Adam’s, but God’s plan for the home remains constant.
Consequently, the man of God must lead his home with a love mirroring the love Christ has for his bride—the church (verse 25). He must conduct himself in a manner worthy of his wife’s respect (verse 33), and he must exhibit understanding not only of his wife’s needs but also of the great responsibility God has given to him (1 Peter 3:7).
The Impact of the Man’s Role.
Rather than abdicating the responsibility of being the leader in the home, or acting as if such is no longer culturally acceptable or needed, the Christian husband must take his God-assigned role seriously.
When he leads in an appropriate way, everyone in the home is affected positively. John Steinbeck acknowledged this point in a statement in his novel, The Grapes of Wrath. He wrote:
“Women and children knew deep in themselves that no misfortune was too great to bear if their men were whole.”
Whether Steinbeck merely had physical provision and protection in mind, the man who is “whole” leads his family both physically and spiritually.
Men, Take Your Role Seriously.
To do this, Christian husbands and fathers must heed the advice Paul gave to Timothy. He wrote:
“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:11-12).
In other words, men must make sure their lives are characterized by godly behavior. This requires effort and constant reflection. Those who make this effort will “abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11).
If you are a husband or father, resist the temptations of the world for the sake of your family. Lead as God intends. Be “whole.”
Will this be easy? Hardly!
Nevertheless, it is a fight worth fighting.
Chad Ramsey preaches for the Gloster Street Church of Christ in Tupelo, Mississippi. You can access their Bible classes and Chad’s sermons on Gloster Street’s YouTube page.
Chad was - and still is - “my preacher” from when I spent my high school and early college years at Gloster Street. I’m thankful to be able to share some of his writings with you.
