LIFE: FROM FATHER TO SON
Sara grew up with her mom and dad in a Christian family. She longed for a family of her own. Over the years, a relationship grew with a friend named Barb. Barb appeared next to Sara in Christmas photos. Sara and Barb vacationed together. They bought a house together. In time, they decided they were ready to become parents together. A baby boy was born to Sara nine months after in vitro fertilization. The two women agreed that Sara would stay home to raise "their" son. Barb remained in the workforce and assumed the role of provider. The desires of two women had been met. They called themselves a "family." Their son was lavished with love and attention. Great value was placed on his life.
Or, was it? What thought had been given to mentoring this boy-child? How will this boy perceive his importance as a man? Who will model responsible manhood to a curious teenage boy? What connection will there be with his father? If he fathers sons, what will he pass on to them? "Patricide," wrote Doug Phillips, "is the act of killing our fathers." A society might intentionally or unintentially practice patricide in numerous ways. Sara and Barb determined that a father was unnecessary for their son. "Big daddy" government discourages a father's involved and responsible role by appearing to reward single motherhood but penalize marriage. "Dishonor can be a form of patricide," continues Phillips. "To dishonor a father is to strike at one of the defining relationships in the universe - that of the Father and the Son. Revisionist history is a form of patricide. When historians attack the spiritual forefathers of a nation, or when they pervert the legacies of the past, they engage in a form of cultural patricide."
The pro-life Christian recognizes that marriage and family faithful to passing on the Good News of Jesus Christ is foundational for generations to come. Therefore, can we be surprised that Satan tries to sever the relationship between fathers and sons? Many years ago, Phillips and his father traveled to Africa to work with the victims of terrorism. They met a man named Endabo Musa. Phillips explains: "As a young man, Musa was taken from his African tribal village and brought to Patrice Lamumba University in Moscow during the heyday of Soviet African expansionism. His father, the local tribal chief, had released him on the expectation that he would be receiving a world-class education. In point of fact, he and hundreds of others like him were taken from their parents to be indoctrinated and trained in the arts of terrorism. The Soviet’s goal was to use these boys, many of them sons of local leaders, return them to Africa, and then destabilize the region.
"With tears in his eyes, Musa explained to us that one of the first orders of business for a Soviet-trained African terrorist was to go back and kill his own father, thus breaking with the past, showing true allegiance to the new Soviet philosophies, and ending the history of multigenerational continuity which had existed in the tribes for hundreds if not thousands of years." Does this story give you pause? Do you wonder how it ends? "Musa," continues Phillips, "was sent to kill not only his father, but also a Christian preacher. Heavily armed and accompanied by other terrorists, Musa entered a packed soccer stadium where the preacher was delivering a message. Before he could perform the wicked act, the words of the preacher touched the heart of Musa, who abandoned his mission and became a Christian. Today, he is a pastor living in Germany." (Doug Phillips is the Director of Vision Forum )
The Soviets had adopted one of Satan's strategies - get boys to forget, reject or kill their fathers and a village - or nation -- can be captured. But, the Word of God is pro-life and, therefore, pro-father. God opposes patricide with His design of patriarchy. It is part of His created order. In the beginning, God created Adam. It was to this first man that God gave the instructions for life and the warnings against death. Later, after God created Eve, Adam passed the Word of God on to her. The man would continue to pass the Word of Truth on to his children and children's children. This would be the order of life - the very rhythm and continuity of life - forever.
Sin disrupted the perfect relationship between God and His creation. The human race was doomed to eternal hopelessness... or was it? The God of order is also the God of hope. God did not abandon His original design, but used it to bring hope in the midst of hopelessness. First, He covered His fallen creation with the promise of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Then, in keeping with His created order, He opposed chaos and death with patriarchy. God invited Adam and all of his sons and his sons' sons to be sacrificial leaders, faithful husbands and honorable fathers. As chosen vessels, God calls men to protect and provide for the family, instill vision, and pass on the Truth. Patriarchy loves life! It is propelled forward by hope.
To be sure, there are perversions of patriarchy. A Christian man, however, should want nothing to do with distortions of truth. Consider the meaning of patriarchy and you will see God's love. Patria (Greek for "father") and arche (Greek for "beginning") bring forth the idea of man as father, leader, mentor, protector, provider, teller of history, communicator of vision, and promise-keeper of the family. The patriarchal earthly father, like the Heavenly Father, sees children as blessings. Earthly powers may seek to disconnect sons from fathers and intentionally break generational faithfulness. Two "mommies" may reject the importance of fathers and, intentionally or not, devalue their own son. But, the Father God re-connects... values... and forgives.
Every earthly father, regardless of his own or inherited sin, can learn from the Heavenly Father. The Heavenly Father did not abandon His creation, but is totally involved with and committed to His children. He is not content to have His family exist in chaos, but provides just and protective boundaries. He, indeed, brought eternal life through the defining and hopeful relationship of Father and Son. That Son is our Savior, Jesus Christ. That Savior -- God-come-to-earth-as-a-Man -- can be trusted by every woman and every son or daughter who has ever been hurt by a sinful human man.
Patriarchy opposes patricide. Patriarchy loves life! It is propelled forward by hope. Patriarchy connects... repairs... restores! It builds its house on solid foundation. Patriarchy tells the next generation what God has done (Psalm 78:2-4). Patriarchy serves others in humility. "No man can boast! For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10 NIV).
By Linda Bartlett
Suggested studies: "Called to Remember" and "Men, Women & Relationships"
Order from Lutherans For Life