Fruitfulness in Christian Families: Moving Beyond Division to Spiritual Growth
"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." - Genesis 1:28
God's Command for Fruitfulness
In the beginning, God commanded humanity to "be fruitful and multiply." While this certainly includes physical reproduction, there is a deeper spiritual truth for Christian families today. True fruitfulness extends beyond having children to producing spiritual fruit that glorifies God.
As families seek to fulfill God's purposes, we must understand that fruitfulness requires:
- Intentional spiritual development
- Overcoming division and conflict
- Cultivating godly characteristics
- Building unity that reflects Christ
The Division Epidemic in Modern Families
One of the greatest obstacles to family fruitfulness is division. This divisiveness manifests in two common extremes:
The Constant Conflict Pattern
Many children grow up in homes where fighting, screaming, arguing, and bickering become the normal communication pattern. This creates an atmosphere where:
- Trust is undermined
- Security is threatened
- Emotional development is stunted
- Healthy relationship models are absent
The Silent Treatment Pattern
Equally destructive is the pattern of withholding communication. This happens when children grow up without seeing their parents speak to each other much, or hug or kiss each other.
This is a form of "emotional abuse" that causes all the family members in the home to "emotionally die inside." This all happens even when no physical harm ever occurs.
The Root of Division: Self-Love and Pride
What causes these divisive patterns in families? The culprit is self-love and self-pride.
Self-centeredness manifests as:
- Unwillingness to apologize
- Demanding one's own way
- Refusing to communicate
- Prioritizing being "right" over being reconciled
- Withholding affection and approval
The Rebellion Connection
There is a powerful parallel between family division and spiritual rebellion:
"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft." (1 Samuel 15:23)
This verse is often applied to children's disobedience, but it also applies to parents who disobey God's commands regarding family relationships:
- Husbands who fail to love their wives sacrificially (Ephesians 5:25)
- Wives who refuse to respect their husbands (Ephesians 5:22)
- Parents who provoke their children to anger (Ephesians 6:4)
When we disobey God's instructions for family harmony, we participate in rebellion against His design.
The Devastating Impact of Divided Families
In today's world, it's important that we do not mince words concerning the consequences of family division:
The divided family is the root problem that we have in America. The divided family leads to school trouble, teenage pregnancies, and drug and alcohol abuse.
These sobering realities highlight why Satan targets family unity so aggressively—he knows that divided families produce weakened communities, churches, and societies.
Building Fruitful Family Relationships
To cultivate true fruitfulness in your family:
- Prioritize communication - Find appropriate times to talk rather than giving the silent treatment
- Speak with kindness - Find "nice things to say" rather than remaining silent indefinitely
- Model obedience to God - Demonstrate submission to biblical commands about family relationships
- Seek reconciliation quickly - Don't allow conflicts to fester or divisions to deepen
- Create a united spiritual front - Worship, pray, and study Scripture together regularly
From Division to Multiplication
God's command to "be fruitful and multiply" takes on new meaning when applied spiritually. As Christian families move from division to unity, they position themselves to multiply their spiritual influence by:
- Raising children who understand healthy relationships
- Modeling Christ-centered conflict resolution
- Demonstrating the power of forgiveness
- Showing the world what godly families look like
Remember, a family united in Christ becomes a powerful testimony in a divided world. By overcoming division and cultivating spiritual fruitfulness, your family can fulfill God's original design and purpose.
What steps can your family take this week to overcome division and cultivate greater unity?
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