The family is the bedrock that forms the indispensable foundation for discipleship. It wasinstituted by the Creator as his primary setting for human development and nurture (Gn2:18–25; Ps 68:5, 6). Thus the crisis involving marriage and the family is indeed a cultural crisisof the first order. Social life quite simply cannot function effectively without the family. Whilstaccording to Flowers and Flowers: ‘Christian families face the challenge of understanding andstretching toward the divine design for life and relationships, even as they dwell in a worldwhere hard reality find us far short of God’s plan for family living’, this article demonstratesthat Malachi’s prophetic oracle (2:10–16) is an urgent motivation and challenge to Yahweh’speople in faith communities to be living embodiment of the ideals of fidelity, commitmentand steadfastness. In honouring these values and ideals, the article further challengesYahweh’s faith communities to seek concrete ways of affirming, strengthening, empoweringand supporting persons and families in their efforts to live in faithfulness to the values theyrecognise and esteem.
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