Ok it only took thirty seconds to tune into today a preacher railing against family and marriage! And mis representing anything that resembles common sense and to boot perverting the gospel by inserting his own interpretation of what the Gospel does not say!
He said something to the affect that families in the time of Jesus were large many children so that when the parents got old they were cared for and this was a type of security that could replace God and he called it idolatry! And today we have stocks and investments that we derive our seurity from instead of family or God and so that could be idolatrous. Further he said, if two young people desire to be married and are too young in Christ they have no business getting married ! NOW This type of preaching is a dividing technique and a controlling technique and is not scriptural at all.
Commandment" Honor thy father and thy mother! In the time of the Prophets one could be stoned for cursing their parents. They were tought honor.Family was important, in the Old Testament and the New. What about widows? That is addressed the book of Acts. And ministry was formed to take care of them so they were not overlooked.
Marriage was in that time also arranged by parents (think Mary and Joseph)and also could be political between Kingdoms (nations) and tribes to garner peace and or just good relations. Also they tended to marry very young, 14, 15, 16 was not uncommon. So tell me, does a 14 year old know all there is to marriage? I think not. Paul in his letters supported marriage for those who wished to be, and preferred that to "burning" by waiting too long. In other words, Paul knew the needs of the young and the tendency to not want to wait for those in Love. He also stated that he would rather they be single so they would serve God whole-heartedly and not be torn between service to God and to family needs. But nevertheless there was no straight line to forbidding to marry or waiting to be "ready",however there were those who did not want to marry because it was arranged, and perhaps love was absent. I have found Western Christianity to be heavy handed and improper in it's counsel to the young at times and in some circles.
I have not found guidelines to the affect of waiting in marriage or of families being kept at a distance anywhere in the NT stipulating this kind of doctrine. Preachers need to be very careful that they do not enter into a controling type of doctrine, then it becomes cultlike behavior. So yeah, I'm ticked by hearing these types of sermons dictating it as authority and using the Gospel to promote doctrine when it is in fact not. Common sense, trust, fidelity, hope, and faith go a long way in two people's lives to create a future together. Let them do it! Let families stay together, don't divide by calling it idolatry by using fear tactics. Family will sort it out or go their own way.
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