Christians are the Israel of God. (Gal. 6: 15, 16)

Building Marriage And Community

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”¹

A marriage is a fragile institution of God, requiring psychological unity among both participants, husband and wife. Any emotional break-up requires attention before it gets out of hand and something worse occurs.

Marriage can not only get out of hand between husband and wife, but with the children. Therefore, love must be the means to teach and direct the wife and children.

Whipping a child may be permitted according to the theology of some; however, if this is the case, it should be done in love and to prevent the young one from doing something that could hurt himself or herself much more. Nevertheless, it should never be done in a hateful or brutal way.

In my opinion, after a young one is old enough to understand through talking and listening, then the parental dependence on the obedience or failure thereof should not invoke punishment through physical means such as whipping. The same goes for any one in the family of age to understand, that includes the wife. So, wife-beating and abuse is never acceptable, and divorce can easily be prevented and should never be necessary.

Therefore, when reward or lack of reward (as God will judge us) is necessary, it should be noticeable through love. A child can recognize love, and on the other hand, disappointment of the parent. So with the wife. Discipline and future obedience can be taught and expected through reason, gentleness and love.

The Christian Community

The community must be built upon knowledge and virtue. Christian friends are members and they should have a respect for God's love and needed discipline. When children of good parents seek a mate of equal yoke, it should be easy for a relationship to be established through the parents (men who are able to be qualified guarantors) of both children if they decide to marry. Love can be multiplied through husband and wife, and community.