TTS

I will begin by saying that “The Ideal Christian Home” is a place where the perfect standard of the life of Jesus Christ is in place. Where husband and wife are on good terms with each other (loving and respecting one another) and then children are taught of the Lord. If society will be a habitable place for people to live together in peace and harmony, it must begin from a home.

A Christian home is more than one in which people say kinds of things to each other and seek to live unselfishly. Someone said recently that the world’s problem is that we are trying to practice Christianity without believing it. This is the problem in many homes. People try to have a Christian home without believing in Jesus and committing their lives to him.

The nearest thing to heaven on earth is the Christian family and home, where husband and wife, parents and children, live together in love and peace, devoted to God and to each other. By way of contrast, the nearest thing to hell on earth is the ungodly home, broken by sin and iniquity, where parents quarrel and bicker and separate, and where children are given over to the forces of wickedness to be brought up with scarcely any training at all.

A Christian home, in uncomplicated terms, is one in which God is alive and present in the lives of the parents. It is Christian not just in name, but in reality – Christ is present through His Spirit in the lives of His followers who live there. Family is the people who live within the house.

A physical house built without a foundation is destined to fall. Only a firm foundation creates a real and lasting home. In the same way, Christ is the foundation of a Christian home. Just because Christians live inside a house does not mean that Christ is that home’s foundation. Jesus ended his sermon on the mountain with the parable of “a wise man who built his house on the rock” - “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock, And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand, And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it”. – Matthew 7:24-27.

His house stood against the wind and flood, but the house built on sand fell. As a parent, you must choose to build your own house, your family, on the rock of Christ and His word if you want to build a Christian home that will stand for God, both literally and figuratively.

The following are expected of a Godly family or home

  1.    ​A Godly family serves

Parents should leave by example. When you love and serve God, your family will follow suit. King Jesus admonished us to serve, follow and honor God in John 12:25-26. 
A godly family serves the Lord together. A household not serving God cannot be blessed by God. Hebrew 6 verse 10 says God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

Just like Joshua, you have to decide that your home will serve God. Joshua 24:15b
Romans 12:11 encouraged us to "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." 

  1.      A Godly family seeks God

Like the popular saying: A family that prays together stays together.

Together as a family, when you seek God's face, then you will grow and please God together. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:33-34
Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Your family, my family must have faith in God and believe His words. Hebrew 11:6

When you draw near to God as an individual and collectively as a family, then God will draw nearer to you. James 4:8 says "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." The Almighty God is not moving. He's unshakeable, but human beings changes. Whenever we pray, we move closer to God. 

  1.     A Godly family speaks truth

Leadership, they say, is by example.

That moment you tell a lie in the presence of your child (ren), you are indirectly teaching them to lie. When you tell a lie, the children will emulate and speak falsely too. Irrespective of the situation, always speak the truth and encourage your family to speak nothing, but the truth always.

Proverbs 27:5 "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

  1.    A Godly family shows unconditional love

Marriage is an eye-opener. However, love is unconditional. Let your children grow in love and not in hatred or neglect. Make efforts to raise children that need not to recover from an emotional lack in the future. 1 Peter 4:8
If possible, do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14

Give equal opportunity to every child, but be sensitive enough to give tailored discipline in the family. Do not be tempted to give room for favoritism.
Love your family equally. John 13:35. 

    1. A Godly family stays humble oftentimes.

    Children tend to display what they see. Therefore as parents or caregivers, we need to be humble because "…God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” James 4:6

    ​The Almighty God will be gracious to our family when we are genuinely humble. 

          6.  A Godly family is united.

    Unity is essential in every family. Division brings separation. Division drowns any family. 

    1 Corinthians 1:10 “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought”.

    As a Godly family, each and everyone should decide to stay united. Nothing separates us. John 17:23.

    1. A Godly family forgives.

    “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” Luke 17:3-4

    We ought to forgive others to give room for peace in the family. 
    In Mark 11:25, Lord Jesus advised us to forgive one another, especially before praying.