I believe the family unit is incredibly close to God’s heart. I believe God is for family, and that He cares deeply and passionately about family. Not only that, I believe it is central to creation; even moreso, that the family unit is a direct reflection of God Himself.
Why?
Because
God within and of Himself IS family
Let me explain.
God is three persons, yet one being, a central belief in the Christian faith. The Bible tells us of this time and time again all throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament (for a few examples see John 14:26; Acts 2:33; Colossians 1:15-1; Matthew 3:16-17).
God the Father, Jesus the Son, and Holy Spirit - have been together in perfect unity from the very beginning. Genesis 1:26 says this: “Let US make man in OUR image” (emphasis added). The plurality used here is significant. US, OUR. God is referring to Himself in plurality.
Not only that, how’s this for a fun fact: The very first sentence of the Bible, Genesis 1:1, the way we know it says this: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…”; But what you may not know is that in the original Hebrew Bible before translation took place, there were two letters that seemed untranslatable and insignificant that came after this, and they were “Aleph, Tav” - the first and the last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Maybe you recognize other times first and last, beginning and end, and specifically the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet (alpha and omega) have been used in the Bible? Perhaps to describe somebody? Yep, JESUS (Revelation 1:8).
So what we have in the very first opening sentences of the Bible as it was originally written is: “In the beginning God, Aleph Tav (JESUS), created the heavens and the earth and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the earth”. It doesn’t get clearer than that, all 3 parts of the Godhead, present in the beginning. (Side note: shout out to my good friend Pastor Josh Pellowe for this fun fact).
I think it is no mistake that God created mankind in His image (specifically mentioning His plurality when doing so), and that when He did, He created Adam, then Eve (saying it is not good for man to be alone), and didn’t stop there but went on to command them to be fruitful and multiply (Gen 1:27). Basically saying that children would and should come as the fruit of love, completeing the creation story of humankind.
THREE parts of mankind - Mother, Father, children.
and
THREE persons within the Godhead - Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Coincidence? I personally think not.
This Triune nature of God is literally a picture of family, the perfect family. In perfect unity, love and being.
So, could it be that family is paramount because it is the direct mirror of the Godhead? A reflection of God Himself? I suggest yes.
I would even be so bold as to say that
The Godhead is the blueprint for family.
There are many things that we can learn about the family unit and how it was created to function by reflecting on God and His triune nature.
Here are some qualities of the triune nature of God that I believe are (can be) reflected in the family unit, the way He designed and intended it. (Obviously there are many, many more)
1. The family unit reflects God because it encapsulates in human form the ‘perichoresis’ that exists within the Godhead
The Trinity is a picture of perfect connection, the three are perfect union, communion and community (or family) exemplified. Relationship and connection is central.
Perichoresis is a word that describes this dynamic relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The mutual indwelling, and the divine connectedness that exists between them.
Within this relationship there is perfect love, perfect openness, honor, respect and adoration. Each fill each other, each exists within each other.
Jesus Himself said this when He said: “I am in the Father and the Father is in Me” (Jhn 10:30). Not only that, we read in Luke 4:14 that He was filled with Holy Spirit. The Father in the Son, the Son in the Father, the Holy Spirit in the Son and in the Father. They are all entwined, each pouring into one another; there is a constant flow that exists between the three.
So too, is the family unit. Divinely entwined, connected, and filled by one another.
Think about it - husband and wife literally become one (Gen 2:24; Matt 19:6; Eph. 5:31), and from their love comes a child that has within them parts of both mum and dad. There is indwelling. From the very beginning there was this, part of Adam was taken to form Eve (Gen. 2:22).
Then you have the pouring of self into the other - just like the Godhead. Husbands pouring themselves into wives, wives into husbands, mothers and fathers into children, and children pouring into mother and father by bringing honour, joy and love. No one is left empty, each there for each other.
I love this quote by Theologian Dr. C. Baxter Kruger that encapsulates Pericherosis so well and gives stunning words to what can exist also in our families:
“Genuine acceptance removes fear and hiding and creates freedom to know and be known. In this freedom arises a fellowship and sharing so honest and open and real that persons involved dwell in one another. There is union without loss of individual identity. When one weeps, the other tastes salt. It is only in the Triune relationship of Father, Son and Spirit that personal relationship of this order exists, and the early church used the word ‘perichoresis’ to describe it. The good news is that we have been included in this relationship and it is to be played out fully in each of us and in all creation.”
This is a beautiful picture of what family can reflect from God’s Triune nature.
2. The family unit reflects God because within the Trinity there is recognition of both equality and divine order
Within the Trinity there is a beautiful interconnectedness, whilst simultaneously, a glorious functioning of each individual.
Both equality and divine order exist.
In the Bible we see the Son (Jesus) pointing to the Father continuously, recognising Him as the highest authority. We read in John 5:19 Jesus saying: "Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” And then in John 14:10 (emphasis added) “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.”
Jesus Himself, here an in many other instances, is recorded recognising the divine order that exists within the Godhead, He honours the Father, follows the Father, and submits to the Father.
AND YET, at the very same time
Jesus, and other parts of the Bible, confess ALSO of the equality of the Godhead.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equal. Jesus is God, Holy Spirit is God, The Father is God.
Jesus said this in John 10:30-36: “I and the Father are one”. Philippians 2:5-8 (emphasis added) says: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”.
Jesus knew He was equal with God the Father, He literally was God, yet chose to humble Himself. Both oneness and order exist.
How does the family unit reflect this? Glad you asked.
I suggest that in the family unit there is also divine order as well as equality. There is equality because each member of the family unit is of the same intrinsic value, there is no price that can be put on the value of human life, no matter what age, colour, gender.
Yet, simultaneously, while there is equality, there is also divine order (like in the Godhead); Because biblically speaking fathers are recognised as the spiritual heads of the home (Col. 3:18; Eph. 5:23). This represents Father God who in 1 Corinthians 11:3 is declared as the head of Christ.
Now, disclaimer, the picture we see of Father God as the spiritual head in the Bible is not a Father that dictates angrily, ‘rules over’ overbearingly or leads viciously … but rather is one who deeply cares for, gently leads, and fiercely loves His own. There is often negative connotation that comes with this concept of men being heads of the home so I feel the clarity is needed.
Now, another important disclaimer: What I am not suggesting is that children are in control, that they are above the parents or run the roost. What I AM saying is that as human beings they are equal, they have EQUAL VALUE, as the parents, they are not lesser than just because they are children. They are still a human, part of our family, and that is what makes them equal, equal in value. Just like each person within the Godhead.
3. Family reflects God because within the Trinity love is the essence, the driving force and the foundation
In the Trinity, love is everything. God IS love (1 John 4:8). It is driven by, founded in and is outworked in unconditional love. Family too, is to be a hub for unconditional love. Giving out the love that we have so graciously received is our mandate.
I don’t think it’s by happenstance that our understanding of God the Father, most times, is shaped by our interactions with our earthly fathers. Or that Holy Spirit by our mothers, and Jesus our brothers and sisters. It’s the way we were created to mirror and reflect the triune God, made literally in His image, a triune image.
I believe this is key to why God cares so passionately for family; because He knows it is the earthly representation of Him. It’s how children form their concepts of who He is and what He’s like (and those around us also!). This is a massive responsibility! One I feel the glorious weight of. But don’t confuse this for striving or a heavy burden - God’s burden is light and yoke is easy (Matt. 11:30). We will naturally reflect God to our children when we live in Oneness with God, when we abide, when we focus on the one command “love God with all your heart, all your mind, soul and strength” (Mark 12:30) - then the rest will flow out from this place.
In recent years I have seen a shifting of hearts of many toward their family, convicted to put their attention, value and priority back there. I believe this is no accident. God is doing something. He knows how important healthy families are for our future.
If we are going to have a generation that has a true understanding of the nature of God, what Father God is really like, what Jesus is really like, and what Holy Spirit is really like, it’s going to take mothers and fathers reflecting God to their children day in and day out, in the mundane and in the wonderful, in the home and outside the home.
I’m convicted time and time again by the CS Lewis quote that says
“Children are not a distraction from more important work, they are the most important work”
Understanding this concept of reflecting God to our children and how it forms their ideas of Him brings a whole new depth of meaning to this quote for me.
AND SO…
With all that said, if you’re feeling an attack on your family at present - really, it should come as no surprise. The devil has always wanted to be God, so of course he will directly attack and attempt to destroy the thing that reflects Him and His nature most: family. Made in His image and His likeness.
Whatever your family looks like right now, you can still reflect God to your children or your spouse or your brothers and sisters, you can still encapsulate and demonstrate these things found in the nature of God’s Trinity. No family is perfect, let’s be real, but we are all on a journey, going from glory to glory (2 Cor 2:18).
My prayer every day, and over those with families (no matter what they look like) reading this, is that God would continue to guide us, teach us, shepherd us and lead us in the ways we deal with our children, our wives, our husbands, our mothers, our fathers, our siblings. That we would reflect Him more and more. That we would walk in His ways more and more. Amen - let it be.
With Love,
