The family unit is a gift of God, as it is the foundation for all civilization. God designed the family unit for the flourishing of His creation and the edification of mankind. God created marriage, as the foundational institution of the family, to be the lifelong covenant union of one man and one woman. This special gift to mankind is meant to provide a picture of the covenant between Christ and His Church. Because God created marriage, any form of “marriage” that alternates or abrogates God’s design is illegitimate. God created sex to be enjoyed exclusively between a husband and wife within the covenant of marriage. Any expression of sex outside of the marriage covenant is an act of rebellion against the Creator.
God has called husbands to serve as the heads of their homes, alongside their wives who joyfully submit to the headship of their husbands. Husbands and wives strive together to raise, discipline, and disciple their children to love and serve God. Children are a blessing from the Lord, and are to be regarded as image bearers worthy of dignity from the moment of conception to their natural death.
Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 78:1-8; 127; Proverbs 1:8; 6:20-22; 12:4; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Matthew 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.