Leave my house, kids, wife, and family for the kingdom of God?
29 "Yes," Jesus replied, "and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God,30 will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come."
So does this mean that I need to ditch my family and go to the ends of the earth to take the gospel for the kingdom of God? Heck no! This is scripture is twisted and used by many cults to do precisely that, they break up families and cause husbands to leave wives and wives to leave husbands. They also cause sons and daughters to leave home because they think they are doing a work for God. But this could never be farther from the truth! Paul tells us that our first minister is to our family, and if a man fails at being the spiritual leader of his household, then his ministry for God is shot till he makes that right and is not allowed to be a leader in the church.
We must interpret scripture with the whole of scripture and keep everything in context! So how do we fulfill the verse mentioned above? Well I can dedicate my house to God making it a sanctuary for Him and not allowing anything there that would bring discredit to His name. I can make it a home to strangers so I share the love of God to them as Christ has instructed us to do. I can raise my children in the fear of the Lord so that when they grow older they will not depart from the Lord. In a practical sense I am giving everything to God!
In essence you can tell God, "Lord, everything You have given me is Yours, my house, wife, and kids belong to You! Just give me the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding so that I can be a good dad and husband so that my kinds can see your great love in me! In Jesus name, amen!
So does this mean that I need to ditch my family and go to the ends of the earth to take the gospel for the kingdom of God? Heck no! This is scripture is twisted and used by many cults to do precisely that, they break up families and cause husbands to leave wives and wives to leave husbands. They also cause sons and daughters to leave home because they think they are doing a work for God. But this could never be farther from the truth! Paul tells us that our first minister is to our family, and if a man fails at being the spiritual leader of his household, then his ministry for God is shot till he makes that right and is not allowed to be a leader in the church.
We must interpret scripture with the whole of scripture and keep everything in context! So how do we fulfill the verse mentioned above? Well I can dedicate my house to God making it a sanctuary for Him and not allowing anything there that would bring discredit to His name. I can make it a home to strangers so I share the love of God to them as Christ has instructed us to do. I can raise my children in the fear of the Lord so that when they grow older they will not depart from the Lord. In a practical sense I am giving everything to God!
In essence you can tell God, "Lord, everything You have given me is Yours, my house, wife, and kids belong to You! Just give me the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding so that I can be a good dad and husband so that my kinds can see your great love in me! In Jesus name, amen!
