FOURTH, YOU MUST BE RESPONSIBLE TO BUILD A COVENANT HOME! (6:17-25)

First, you must keep the commandments of the LORD as a family! (6:17)

The key word in this verse is ‘diligently’. God’s people are told to keep the commandments, his testimonies, and his statues diligently and not slothfully, reluctantly or just out of duty or responsibility. This would imply that the head of the house SHOULD KEEP God’s commandments as an example. And he should or must take charge to enforce this upon every member under his household. Therefore, as a covenant HOME, you must reprove, correct and instruct them according to WORD of GOD and KEEP THEM diligently by being an example to those who under you.

Second, you must do only what seems right in the sight of God as a family! (6:18)

Building a covenant home requires not only doing what is right (that is verse 17) but also to do only what is right and good in the sight of God. For there are many things in the world that seem right and good in the eyes of man, but are totally not right and good in the sight of GOD because this World has her own philosophy to justify every evil and wickedness under the sun as ‘GOOD’. And many times, Christians are caught in between whether to do what is right and good in the sight of God or to compromise to do what seems right and good by world’s standards. As God’s covenant people, you must only DO what is right and good in the sight of GOD because we have ONLY ONE standard of RIGHT AND WRONG or GOOD AND EVIL, that is the HOLY SCRIPTURES! Would you as a covenant HOME make this as your commitment to do what is ONLY right and good in the sight of GOD?  

Third, you must put away any hindrance for you to grow as a covenant family! (6:19)

As a covenant home, you SHOULD strive to live a pure and holy life by the Grace of God! The covenant is made with the entire family! From the father, mother and all the way to every member in the household should RESOLVE to live a HOLY LIFE, by putting away sinful habits, whether in open or in secret! And remember, YOUR children are watching how the parents behave, talk and react to life’s circumstances whether in faith or in distrust. Would you be a good example in a Covenant HOME?

Fourth, you must be ready to answer questions from anybody in your household! (6:20-24) 

Basically, God wants you, parents, to be ready to expect questions from your children (v.20). And answer them biblically and accurately (v.21-24). What sort of questions would likely be asked by your children? Verse 20 tells us that they would be questions regarding YOUR doctrines, YOUR faith and YOUR practices in the home or in the church. Don’t shut down them off  when they ask you! Now, you may want have an easy way by redirecting all the questions to your pastor or Sunday school teachers, but parents, do prepare to answer questions from your children. Because verse 21 says, “then thou shalt say unto thy son” not someone else. With regard to educating our children about GOD, parents must always be the priority. For it is YOUR duty, to spend time to build a strong covenant home and a strong relationship between you and YOUR CHILDREN! Parents of a covenant HOME should be prepared to answer questions from your children. 

Fifth, you must present the gospel message to your children! (6:25) 

Lastly, we know that no one can be saved by keeping the laws because no one is able to. Because Christ is the end of the law for HE has fulfilled all righteousness for his people who come by Faith. Now, verse 25 should be understood in its proper context. The OT saints were NOT saved by keeping the laws but clearly by FAITH as we see it in Romans 3,4,5 and the book of Hebrews. So, what is the application here? Note that it is still the father talking to the children in verse 25 about how a person is justified before GOD by grace through faith in JESUS CHRIST! The last principle on how to build a covenant home is that you MAKE SURE TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL MESSAGE TO YOUR CHILDREN! Because being born into a covenant home is a blessing, but it does not negate YOUR responsibility as the parents to present the gospel of Christ to YOUR children. No one is automatically saved at birth, including a child born into a covenant home. Pray that God will save them one day through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit that they may come to believe and trust Christ as their Saviour. So would you, as parents of a covenant home, make sure to present the gospel to your children?

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, there are challenges for every head of covenant homes. Would you, as a covenant family, acknowledge that God is one LORD, love Him with all your heart, soul and might, and realize that he made a covenant with you in your heart? Would you, as parents of a covenant home, saturate your household with the commandments and statutes of the LORD, serve and worship Him, and know the consequences for breaking the covenant? Would you be responsible as parents to build a covenant home by keeping the commandments of the LORD as a family, and do only what seems right in the sight of God as a family, and present the gospel message to your children when they are still young?

May the LORD help us.

More Lively Hope

© Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
14 Bedford Square, Colonel Light Gardens, South Australia 5041