PAULINE HOUSEHOLD CODE AS HERMENEUTICS PARADIGM FOR PRACTICAL THEOLOGY ON MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

1.1 Introduction

Marriage is considered to represent a lifelong commitment by two people to each other and it is signified by a contract sanctioned by the state (and for many people, by God). Marriage and established family life are the unique qualities of human being, which makes them to be an integral element of social life. Marriage as an institution has a crucial role in helping two individuals to have personal growth and enrichment from established family life. Furthermore, compatibility in social lives of couples a strong factor for marital stability and survival. When the social lives of couples are at variance, it may likely portend great threat to marital stability, because it takes time to come to terms with why some social outings and involvement are necessary. However, the realization of the salient influence of these socio cultural variables on marriage may likely be positive moment towards marriage stability in our society today.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

Marriage was instituted by God when He said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him”. (Gen.2:18 RSV). The husband and wife come together in a profound, intimate and mysterious way that is unlike any other human relationship. Thus, marriage is not man’s invention, but is a gift of God to man with rules to obey. When God’s laws or rules concerning marriage are compromised, that is when marital problems arise. It is noteworthy that man needs to understand and acknowledge that God’s laws and commandments about marriage, its relationships and problems, supersede all governmental traditional and denominational laws and dogmas on the subject.

Ugwu (2014) corroborated this by saying that the biggest problem facing the marriage institution today is the total ignorance and rejection of God and His original plans, precepts and purposes for the single man and single woman whom He created and joined together in marriage at the beginning in His infinite wisdom and mathematics of two shall become one flesh. As a result, couples and even some religious organizations have chosen their own methods and interpretations of marriage and marital issues. They have developed their own solutions to nuptial problems, with disgusting and heartbreaking consequences, marital frictions and failures, infidelity and polygamy, family feuds and court cases, separations and divorces, broken homes and abandoned children (p.3). He also agreed with this opines that God’s laws about marriage also overrides the opinions of nationally and internationally acclaimed novelists, magazine columnists and modern marriage counsellors and the advocacy of human and equal rights activists. More than all, God’s original plan, purpose and precepts for marriage overrides personal feelings, ideas and convictions on any feelings, ideas and convictions on any marital issue (p. 4).

People marry for various reasons. But the original purpose of God for establishing marriage can be categorized into four according to Adie & Crabbe (2013). First, there is the Emotional Purpose. The first major reason for marriage is to meet the man’s emotional needs. Genesis 2:18 says, It is not good for the man to be alone. He needs someone he can share with so as to relieve his loneliness. Marriage provides companionship and friendship between spouses (Adei & Crabbe, 2013: 10).

Second, there is the Social Purpose of bearing children to continue the race to reproduce them. That is, for procreation. According to Kostenberger (2004:98), procreation was also considered as integral part of God’s plan for marriage. He refers among other things to Gen. 1:28, 9:1, and 35:11. Third reason for God to institute marriage is for Physical Purpose. This will help man to fulfil the normal physical desires given to both of them by God, that is “to express love in its entirety: “agape”, “philos” and “eros” (1 Cor. 7:1-5).

Finally, Paul added this fourth reason, Spiritual Purpose in Eph. 5:22-33, so that both of them will experience with each other the love, unity and harmony that exists within the Godhead, and between Christ and His Church.” (Adei & Crabbe, 2013: 10). This covenantal character of marriage entails that it is a sacred bond that is characterized by permanence, sacredness, intimacy, mutuality and exclusiveness (Kostenberger, 2004).

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Pauline Household Code as Hermeneutics Paradigm for Practical Theology on Marriage and Family.

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1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that the Bible however looks upon marriage not as a social contract between two individuals that can be dissolved at will, rather it looks upon marriage as a mystery (Eph. 5:31-32). That means every Christian marriage is designed to be a reflection of the relationship between Christ and His Church.

At one time or another, all marriages will face a crisis. The secret of success in overcoming the crisis is for each person in the family to have the proper understanding of Christian family virtues and values; and to keep to their own individual function. Not having a proper interpretation of household culture and roles as presented by Paul is a major cause of marital problems in the contemporary Christian homes. Many Christian homes are threatened because members of the family unit are not ready to obey the biblical principles governing how to live in a household.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Pauline Household Code as Hermeneutics Paradigm for Practical Theology on Marriage and Family using the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Warri, Delta State as a reference point. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To examine the concept of parenting in the New Testament Household code;
2. To find out the origin of the Household codes;
3. To find out Master-House help relationship in the Christian family; and
4. To examine husband-wife relationship and roles in the Pauline household codes in comparison with contemporary family relationship.

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Are parents (especially the fathers) to train their children with military drilling so as to show their authority over the children?
• Did Household rules management originate with the early church or has it been in existence before then?
• What is the role of the Husband in the home according to Pauline Household Code?
• What is the role of the Wife in the home according to Pauline Household code?
• How should the Christian father (master) relate to the slaves/servants/house helps and others living in the home with them?

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1.6 Significance of Study

This study is significant because harmony in the family, which is the basic unit of the society, will automatically sustain harmony in the society. It will assist individual members in the family to know and understand their individual roles in the family thereby reducing the incidence of marital problems. It will also sensitize parents to their responsibilities and relationship to their children in a way that will allow the children to have positive outcome in future.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Pauline Household Code as Hermeneutics Paradigm for Practical Theology on Marriage and Family.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

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1.10 Definition of Terms

Household: This has to do with all the people living in a particular house including the father, mother, children, relatives, attendants and servants.

Submission: An act of the will which shows surrender. It may mean to put under someone.

Divorce: Separation of Husband and wife legally, physically or psychologically as a result of marital problems.