Did you know that the family is a kind of government?
The most basic unit of government is self-government. Next, let us consider the government of the family. When a man cannot govern himself well, then he will not be able to govern his family well.
The husband serves as the leader of this unit of government and his wife serves as his suitable helper (Col 3:19; Eph 5:25–33). The husband is to lead in his relationship with his wife -
Ephesians 5:23
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
The word “head” in this passage means leader.
Note carefully this next point. A husband is to lead in the relationship with his wife from a position of love.
Colossians 3:19
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
The word bitter means resentment / Cynicism. If a man develops bitterness and cynicism toward his wife, he had better start loving her again as he ought! How? Look at Ephesians 5:25-33.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
He is to lead and love his wife sacrificially as Christ did the church (“gave himself for it”) and purposefully (“sanctify and cleanse it” - She is to be your first ministry). He is to be committed to her, helping her to become all that she can be for Jesus!
The Bible is clear that a husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church; while a wife is to respectfully submit to her own husband as to the Lord (Gen 2:18; Col 3:18; Eph 5:22–24).
The children in a home are called to honor and respect their parents in the Lord (Col 3:20; Eph 6:1,2).
There were two things, among many others, I emphasized to my children as they were growing up - Honor and obedience. I taught them that honor and obedience should grow out of love.
Family government stands directly accountable to the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one who instituted the family unit in the Garden of Eden. Family government works best when each individual has learned self-government. One of the greatest things a parent can do for a child is to teach them self-government…early.
Out of family life grows the business and civic life of a community.
The family is the biblical source of welfare, inheritance, and family support. The family also has responsibilities for health, provision, and the education of their children.