Due to the nature of our fallen world, conflict is inevitable. Often, the people closest to us, our family, are the people we conflict with the most. Sometimes, these family conflicts in a Christian household can devastate and threaten our holy covenant with God and the commandments he has set for us. So, what does the Bible say about family conflicts?
Those who came before us in the Bible were no strangers to family conflict. Even Adam and Eve experienced it in Genesis 3:12 when Adam sought to blame-shift Eve for falling victim to the forbidden fruit. The cycle continued with Cane and Abel and with Joseph and his brothers. Saul almost killed his own son their conflict arose to such intensities. The Bible gives clear instructions on how we should treat our family members and even speaks to the dynamics a family should maintain to stay healthy.
Family conflict often arises when we try to deviate from God’s grand design for us. Polygamy, adultery, and divorce are all ways in which we stray from God’s established family dynamics. The family was the first mode of interaction God designed for humans when he made Eve to be Adam’s wife. Marriage was the second institution He established soon after. Jesus later spoke to this and said, “What God has joined together, let no man separate.” Matthew 19:6.
The Bible also makes it quite clear how family members should treat each other. God commands husbands to love their wives as God loves the church in Ephesians 5:25-33. He also commands wives to submit to their husbands and to authority in 1 Peter 3:1. Lastly, God commands children to obey their parents in Exodus 20:12. The Bible makes it clear that family conflicts can be avoided if we follow the guidelines He has laid out for us!
The trick to peace in the household goes against our very nature-submission. In Ephesians 5:21, we’re commanded to submit to one another out of respect for Christ. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, rebellion became our nature. The last thing humans want is to submit! We are always quick to defend our actions, assert our opinions, and pursue our own agenda whenever and wherever we can. Respecting one another and modeling our submission through Jesus is key to preserving the family dynamic in a Christian household.
If your family is experiencing the destructive throws of family conflict, NuWell Christian Counseling can help. Our professional Christian counselors understand the dynamics of the Christian family, and we know what it takes to keep it together. Submission to one another is often easier said than done, and NuWell Christian Counseling can help families understand the roles they play in each other’s lives through faithful counseling grounded in the Bible.
