Of Marriage & Family

Divine Institution of the Family

Confessional Text

God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society⁹⁵. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption⁹⁶.

Scriptural References

[95]

Genesis 2:22-25

Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman

[96]

Ephesians 6:1-4

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right

All scripture quotations are from the ESV (English Standard Version).

Historical & Theological Background

Throughout Scripture and church history, the family has been recognized as God's design, established at creation before any other human institution. It predates government, the market, and even the church. The family is not a social construct that can be redefined according to cultural preferences, but a divine institution with God-ordained structure and purposes. The family is the primary context for spiritual formation, cultural transmission, and human flourishing.

African Contextual Commentary

In Africa, where extended family and communal structures are highly valued, this statement affirms the nuclear family as God's foundational design while not negating the broader kinship networks that characterize African societies. The family in African context often includes extended relatives, and this is not contrary to Scripture when properly ordered. However, this statement guards against family structures that contradict biblical principles, such as polygamy or ancestor worship that places family loyalty above faithfulness to Christ.