LIVING THE NEW LIFE IN THE HOME

By: Rev. Arnel Tan

You wives must submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. And you husbands must love your wives and never treat them harshly. You children must always obey your parents, for this is what pleases the Lord. Fathers, don’t aggravate your children, if you do they will become discouraged……Col.3:18-21 NLT


While Christ is our real life and the source of our new life, the new life is not designed to be trapped in the personal stage. It is God’s desire and design that the new life be nourished as we expose ourselves to the church and community at large. It is in this context that the content of Paul’s instruction for the home is written. It is in relating with others that the new life finds its meaning and impact. After one’s conversion the individual is now a powerful instrument of God to bring chance and change.

It is in the home where our new life is much needed to take effect. Ideally the home is composed of a father, a mother and children. The ideal composition of the home is not a reason why a home who falls short of one member should be a happy home. Some homes no longer have dads or moms others have not been blessed with children. In grace and through the sovereignty of God homes that seems to be incomplete can still be recipient of joy and lots of laughter. On the other side by being complete in composition does not guarantee to end happy and vibrant.

Here we see the roles of each one to be in clear terms, yet it is not to be treated as rules per se. Rules and roles are offshoot of a deep relationship with Christ. Can a home be normal not dysfunctional without Christ? Honestly, yes it can still be a happy home but it’s a product of noble reasons not Christ. Living the new life in the home transcends ethics or culture, the new life lived in the home is about the life of Christ enabling a husband to love the wife and wife to respect the husband and kids to obey.

Who does not want a cool home? The difference here is that to have a happy home is not our main goal. While God desires for all of us to have a happy home the main goal remains to KNOW AND PLEASE CHRIST. The harsh reality of divorce and disfunctional home finds a fresh Chance and true Change in Christ. As members of the family become pleasers Christ they do the role not as a rule but outflow of Christ empowerment and unending yielding to Christ. The next time you think of a home think about Christ granting chance and change in His terms.