A normal man naturally desires to protect what God has given to him. Jacob was not always the best example of godliness, but he had the right desire to protect his family from harm. The Bible reveals to us how he reacted when he could see his brother Esau approaching. Unsure of how this reunion might disintegrate into harm, Jacob divided his family with the most precious at the rear. As his family’s protector, Jacob led the caravan. If there was going to be trouble, he would have an opportunity to intervene offering his family an opportunity to flee for safety. According to Ephesians 5:25, a man’s protection should include a willingness to lay down his life for his wife. A godly man will always intercede between his home and the impending danger.
The Bible explicitly emphasizes the spiritual responsibility of providing for one’s family. Sometimes believers wrongfully distinguish between the ministry work and any so-called secular work, but both are accomplished scripturally and prayerfully to please the Lord. 1 Timothy 5:8, in the direct context, deals with the responsibilities of providing for a household member who is a widow; yet, the emphasis upon “those of his own house” broadens the scope. A man who fails or refuses to provide for the needs of his family has “denied the faith” and said to be “worse than an infidel.” That is certainly a stiff and stern rebuke. It remains the man’s responsibility to provide for his family regardless of how far societal norms move away from God’s precepts. This does not mean that the woman cannot assist in the provision (Proverbs 31:13-16) but that the responsibility still belongs to the man.
Job’s home was certainly not a perfect home, but God testified to this man’s faithfulness. The Bible points to prayer as one of Job’s most faithful qualities. Job continually sought the Lord on his children’s behalf with offerings and prayer. One might consider this a simple task if the family loves and serves God together. Yet, Job’s wife is the only indicator we have of Job’s family and she mocked Job’s faithfulness (Job 2:9). Some husbands and fathers are quick to point out the errors of those within their home, but could only be moved to prayerful intercession before the Lord by a tragic event. A man who fails to pray for his God-given family is really no man at all.
As the head of the home, the man bares the responsibility for the biblical training of every individual within his home. Yet, many homes today have no man in them. Regardless of society’s disintegration, there is never a time when the man ever relinquishes his accountability to God as the spiritual leader of his home. In today’s passage, we read of Abraham bearing his personal responsibility. According to God’s testimony, Abraham bore that responsibility well. The Lord testified that Abraham would command his children and household after him. Abraham’s family would keep the way of the LORD and would do justice and judgment. Unfortunately, the same cannot be expressed for far too many modern Christian homes. In fact, church pews are overflowing with faithful women while their men are absentee husbands expressing little to no interest in the things of God.
As the world seeks to further weaken any distinctions between men and women, it becomes even more important to stand firm upon God’s principles. God has a defined order in the home and the worldly attitudes do not alter God’s precepts. Someone has to be the leader of each home and bear the responsibility. According to 1 Corinthians 11:3, the proper order is a woman submitted to a man, who is submitted to Christ, who is submitted to the heavenly Father. Christ’s submission to the Father in no way suggested inferiority to the Father, nor does a submissive wife indicate any type of inferiority to her husband. In fact, it takes a stronger woman to follow God’s plan of submission. A godly home follows the scripture even when it contradicts the generally accepted teachings of the day.
Throughout the years, faithful saints have been willing to lay down their lives for the truth. In Acts chapter 7, we read the account of Stephen’s final message to the nation of Israel. His message infuriated the people so much that they ran upon him and threw stones at him until they crushed the life out of his body. Stephen was martyred because he cared more for the truth's propagation than even his own life and welfare. Though most Christians are not living amongst such severe persecution, our willingness to contend should remain just as fervent. We should pray that God would give us some modern believers who, like Paul, would say, “that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death” (Philippians 1:20)!
Our love for the words of God seems directly proportional to our willingness to contend for the truth. Those who love the law of God do not praise the wicked but instead contend with them. Contending against those who oppose God will not always be easy and will sometimes develop fearfulness from within. Yet, a believer who loves the Lord and His word will not idly sit by in the presence of wickedness without proclaiming the righteousness of God. Unfortunately, Christians are becoming increasingly fearful of speaking up in morally corrupt societies. Sometimes believers have allowed and even facilitated the wicked to spew forth their vile agenda and thoughts. However, those who truly love the Lord should be like the prophet Jeremiah who could not keep silent as he sensed the words of God like a fire shut up in his bones (Jeremiah 20:9)..
In Jeremiah’s day, the Israelites had grown spiritually cold concerning the truth. The Bible says that they were proceeding from evil to evil and were no longer valiant for the truth. Nobody could be trusted to tell the truth. The outcome was sure to be the judgment of God (Jeremiah 9:9). Jeremiah had a tremendous burden for his people's condition (Jeremiah 9:1). He determined to stand against the opposition so that his people might turn from their wickedness. Times may have changed since Jeremiah's day but not near as much as we might think. Far too many Christians have turned a blind eye toward evil and lost any desire to be valiant for the truth. The church and the rest of the world desperately need faithful Christians similar to the prophet Jeremiah who contended for the truth with a heart burdened for the work and the people.
We should not assume that our contentions for the truth will always be directed toward those who know not the Lord. Unfortunately, our stand for truth will often be opposed by the very ones who claim to know the Lord as Saviour. Nehemiah serves as a great example of someone who stood for the Lord against severe opposition from his brethren. In the thirteenth chapter of the book that bears his name, the Bible records his stand against those who were set apart by the Lord. He contended with them for the house of the Lord (Nehemiah 13:11), the law of the Lord (Nehemiah 13:15-22), and the purity of their homes (Nehemiah 13:23-26). Just as Nehemiah contended with those who knew the Lord, God may call upon us to do the very same thing.
There are very few matters in this life for which we ought to earnestly contend. Yet “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” stands as one of those things. “The faith” in this context refers specifically to the body of doctrine delivered to us. As believers, we should always be ready and willing to take a stand for the truths of God’s holy word. This contending does not suggest becoming violent toward those who oppose truth. However, it does mean that we should unwaveringly stand forth proclaiming the truth of God’s word despite man's disapproval. The Lord delivered these truths to us and for us and we should not allow the world to attack them unopposed. We must determine to take a bold stand! We must contend! No matter the repercussions, our allegiance to the One who graciously delivered such truths should shine forth as a light in a dark world.
