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Holy Husbands-Faithful Fathers

 

Another mother’s day has come and gone, and it is incumbent on all husbands and fathers to remember the call of scripture to model godliness as a holy husband and a faithful father so that appreciation for moms doesn’t just occur on one Sunday per year.

Hear these words from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 -

4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house,and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between you reyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Over 400 years ago a reformed scholar and pastor, Richard Baxter, commented on this passage, and his words are as true today as they were then, because the Word of God stands forever. Let us all learn and take to heart these pastoral, poetic and heartfelt words from Pastor Richard Baxter. (1615-1691)

As the persons of Christians in their privatest capacities are holy, as being dedicated and separated unto God, so also must their families be; HOLINESS TO THE LORD must be, as it were, written on their doors, and on their children, their possessions, and affairs (Deut.6:4-9) ....Let governors maintain their authority in their families. For if once that be lost, and you are despised by those that you should rule, your word will be of no effect to them; you do but ride without a bridle; your power of governing is gone, when your authority is lost. And here you must first understand the nature, use, and extent of your authority; for as your relations are different, to your wife and your children, so also is your authority. Your authority over your wife is but such as is necessary to the order of your family, the safe and prudent management of your affairs, and your comfortable cohabitation. The power of love and complicated interest must do more than magisterial commands. Your authority over your children is much greater; but yet only such as, conjunct with love, is needful to their good education and felicity (happiness)...Be a good husband to your wife and a good father to your children, and let love have dominion in all your government, that (those you govern) may easily find, that it is in their interest to obey you... If you would be skillful in governing others, learn first exactly to command yourself. Can you ever expect to have others more at your will and government than yourself? Is he fit to rule his family in the fear of God and a holy life, who is unholy and feareth not God himself? Or is he fit to keep them from passion, or drunkenness, or gluttony, or lust, or any way of sensuality, that cannot keep himself from it? Will not (those you govern) despise such reproofs which are by yourself contradicted in your life?