For many children today, varied family structures deeply impact their behavioral, emotional, and even spiritual health. In God’s perfect design, the nuclear family is to be made up of one man, one woman, and children. He created it this way with distinct purposes, for our good and His glory. This beautiful order resembles one of the greatest families in the Bible: Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.
In our own communities, children grow up in a variety of family situations. While some children have married parents living together, others may have parents who are separated or divorced. Others may be raised by a single parent, or a single parent and their significant other. Just 50 years ago, in 1970, 67% of Americans lived with their spouse and had one or more children; by 2021, that percentage had dropped to only 37%. Children can be affected every day when they do not have a father or a mother in the home, impacting not just their present reality but also their future. In fact, according to a study performed in 1994, children who live in a single-parent home are more likely to suffer from mental health and behavioral problems, as well as have a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, poverty, substance abuse, academic failure, and even a criminal record. Although this study was conducted many years ago, these behaviors remain prevalent today.
The nuclear family structure is essential to both parents and children, as demonstrated by statistics and by Scripture, beginning with Adam and Eve in Genesis. In Genesis 2, when God created Adam, He also created Eve from Adam’s rib. They were the first humans on Earth, but they were also the first married couple. In Genesis 1, God instructed all creation to “be fruitful and multiply.” Additionally, in the Gospel of Matthew, verse 19:6 reads, “So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” God desires that a husband and a wife not divorce because, through marriage, they become one flesh. Two clear exemptions are cited in Scripture later in the Bible, such as sexual immorality (Matthew 5:32; 19:9) and abandonment by an unbeliever (1 Corinthians 7:15). Furthermore, God also wants husbands and wives to have children, creating a safe and protected space for the children to flourish and God’s commandments to be fulfilled well.
Regardless of one’s faith background, it is crucial to recognize that the roles of each parent are equally essential. Yet, the lack of fathers has shown significant detriment for decades. Not only are fathers the protectors and providers in the home for their wives and their children, but they also have a positive impact on the entire family. The Institute for Family Studies says: “Fathering had a statistically significant connection to several outcomes, including psychological well-being, emotional resilience, improved social relationships, and higher academic achievement.” In contrast to the hurtful consequences of a fatherless home, the positive results of having a father in the home within a nuclear family structure are significantly better than those of the latter.
Beyond the biological benefits of a two-parent household, several chapters in the book of Proverbs highlight the importance of parents’ spiritual instruction. For example, Proverbs 1:8-9: “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.” The value and influence that a mother and a father have on a child’s life are so significant. Additional verses highlighting this same value of a parent’s instruction are Proverbs 4:1, 6:20-23, 13:1, Ephesians 6:1, and Colossians 3:20.
In light of the Advent season this December, the most outstanding example of a nuclear family is that of Jesus Christ. Since God is sovereign and powerful, He could have sent Jesus Christ, His only Son, into the world without anyone else’s help. But even God recognized the importance of having an earthly father and a mother, and He chose Mary and Joseph as Jesus’ earthly parents. As Jesus was both fully God and fully man, it was significant that He had an earthly father as well as a Heavenly Father. Although God is divine and Joseph is mortal, the same fatherly love and influence are present. Even God showed His love towards us by sacrificing His one and only Son to be mocked, scorned, and persecuted on the cross for our sake, so that we might receive forgiveness of sins, salvation, and adoption as sons and daughters of Jesus Christ (John 3:16-17; Ephesians 1:4b-8). No matter our earthly circumstances, the most critical father figure we will ever have is God the Father. May we meditate on this truth not only during this Advent season, but every day as we thank our Savior Who, no matter what our family structure looks like, will always be our Heavenly Father if we are in Christ.
Tori Brawner is a YWA Ambassador in Kentucky.
