Building a Spiritually Healthy Family

Each of us surely longs to have a healthy family. We exercise, eat nutritious food, get enough sleep, avoid smoking, and train our children to practice healthy discipline. Even people who do not live a healthy lifestyle, when they get sick, will certainly try to become healthy again.

But have we applied the same discipline to our spiritual lives?

If not, read the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. Then, consider three ways to build a spiritually healthy family.

1. Do not compromise with sin, no matter how pleasant it feels

In the parable above, the younger son began to fall into sin when he asked for his share of the inheritance, even though his father was still alive. Then he went abroad and squandered everything until his wealth ran out.

After he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. Then he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country. That man sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. – Luke 15:14-16

Sin not only made the younger son suffer physically, but spiritually as well. For the people of Israel, pigs were unclean animals. The younger son's life must have become so miserable, even  hungry, that he was willing to eat the pigs' food.

When one family member compromises with sinful habits, that family is damaged. The moment a husband is tempted to have an affair with another woman, his family is damaged. If a young man becomes addicted to drugs and free sex, not only will his body suffer, his future will be ruined as well.

Indeed, sin always seems pleasurable at first, but destructive in the end. A spiritually healthy family is a family whose members all agree to fight against sin. And of course, this goes both ways. Do not only be busy warning one another, but we ourselves should also be willing to receive correction when we do wrong.

"Watch yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him." – Luke 17:3

2. Be aware of yourself and repent

I will arise and go to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants. So he arose and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compas sionate love. His father ran to him, embraced him, and kissed him.

– Luke 15:18-20

If you have made a mistake, do not hesitate to return to Him with your whole being (Luke 18:13-14). Our Father in heaven is always ready to restore our lives if we humbly come to Him, confess our sins, and are willing to change. Do not hesitate or feel ashamed to come to church, and confess to a brother or sister in faith, so that you can be helped to change.

"I tell you, in the same way there will be joy among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” – Luke 15:10

3. Receive family members who repent with love

His father said to him: My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. We should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” – Luke 15:17-20

Sometimes, there are families who refuse to receive back members who once brought shame or were rebellious toward their parents. Indeed, it is not easy to forget serious wrongs, especially those that deeply wound the heart. However, a family that fears the Lord will receive the ‘prodigal child,’ because they practice the love of Christ (Luke 19:10).

There are also people who are unhappy to see sinners repent and become members of the church. Yet Jesus always loves sinners. We have all sinned, and through the love of Christ we are forgiven. So why are we annoyed to see people repent and become part of our spiritual family? Why are we like the older brother, who was angry when his brother repented?

Surely we ourselves want to be forgiven and received again by both our earthly family and our spiritual family, namely the church. Therefore, do the same. Receive both your biological brothers and sisters and your spiritual brothers and sisters who repent with love. Show them various acts of love and speak words that build up their lives.

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." – Matthew 6:14

Brothers and sisters, a spiritually healthy family is a family that watches over one another so they are able to resist the temptation of sin. When we love our earthly family and our spiritual family, we guard both their spiritual health and our own.

* Church GKDI is currently present in 35 cities. We have Bible Study activities in every area; if you need information or would like to be involved, contact us at contact Church GKDI Official: WhatsApp 0821 2285 8686 or Facebook / Instagram GKDI Official

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