Marriage, Family, Sexuality, and Public Policy

Thinking Biblically About Marriage, Sexuality, Children, Family Responsibility, Personal Freedom, Religious Liberty, and the Proper Role of Government

Marriage, family, and sexuality are among the most personal subjects government addresses.

They are also among the most consequential.

Marriage affects more than two people.

Sexual relationships can create children.

Children need care for many years.

Family stability can affect education, poverty, housing, physical and emotional well-being, and future generations.

Divorce can affect spouses and children.

Absent parents can create emotional and financial consequences.

Sexual choices can result in pregnancy.

Parents transmit values, habits, beliefs, expectations, and patterns of behavior to their children.

At the same time, adults possess substantial personal freedom. Government should not attempt to control every private relationship or enforce every Christian moral conviction through law.

Christians therefore face a difficult question:

How should biblical convictions about marriage, family, and sexuality influence our thinking about public policy in a pluralistic society?

The answer requires more than choosing between two extremes.

We should neither assume that everything Scripture identifies as sin should become illegal nor conclude that marriage, family, and sexual behavior are entirely private matters with no consequences for society.

God Created Human Beings Male and Female

The biblical understanding of marriage and sexuality begins with creation.

Scripture says:

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” — Genesis 1:27 (NASB 1995)

Both men and women bear God’s image.

Neither sex possesses greater human worth.

Men and women share equal dignity before God while possessing real bodily differences.

Christian teaching about sexuality begins by receiving our bodies as part of God’s creation rather than treating the body as morally irrelevant.

Marriage Begins in Creation

Genesis describes the establishment of marriage:

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” — Genesis 2:24 (NASB 1995)

Jesus later quoted this passage when teaching about marriage.

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” — Matthew 19:6 (NASB 1995)

From a historic Christian perspective, marriage is more than a romantic relationship or government contract.

It is a covenantal union of a man and a woman intended for faithfulness, mutual care, sexual intimacy, family life, and, ordinarily, the possibility of welcoming and raising children.

Marriage Is About More Than Love

Love is essential to a healthy marriage.

But marriage involves more than romantic feelings.

Marriage involves:

Commitment.

Faithfulness.

Sacrifice.

Responsibility.

Sexual fidelity.

Financial decisions.

Shared life.

Care during illness.

Parenthood when children are born.

And perseverance through changing circumstances.

Feelings can change.

Marriage asks whether two people will remain faithful when life becomes difficult.

That is one reason choosing a spouse deserves serious thought.

Choosing a Spouse Has Long-Term Consequences

Someone being attractive does not necessarily mean that person will make a good spouse or parent.

Beauty and physical attraction can draw people together.

But character becomes enormously important over decades of marriage.

Before marriage, people should consider:

Is this person trustworthy?

Faithful?

Responsible?

Kind?

Self-controlled?

Hardworking?

Honest?

How does this person handle anger?

Money?

Conflict?

Disappointment?

Commitments?

Does this person accept responsibility?

Would I trust this person to help raise my children?

Would I want my son or daughter to learn what marriage looks like by watching us?

A wedding may last one day.

Marriage can shape the rest of a person’s life.

Marriage Can Create a Family

Not every married couple has children.

Some cannot.

Some marry after their childbearing years.

Some experience infertility.

Their marriages are still real and valuable.

But marriage historically has also provided a social structure within which children are conceived, born, raised, supported, and connected to their mother and father.

That gives society an interest in marriage that extends beyond the romantic relationship of the adults.

Sex Can Create Children

Sexual behavior is intensely personal.

But it is not always consequence-free.

Sexual intercourse between a man and woman can create another human being.

That child did not choose the circumstances of conception.

The child may require approximately two decades of substantial parental support and guidance before reaching independent adulthood.

Therefore, sexual freedom carries potential responsibility.

Before consensual sexual activity, adults should recognize:

A child could result from this decision.

Contraception may substantially reduce the likelihood of pregnancy.

It does not transform sex into an activity entirely disconnected from reproduction.

Mothers and Fathers Both Have Responsibilities

A culture should not place all responsibility for pregnancy and children upon women.

A father helped create the child.

His responsibility does not disappear because the pregnancy occurs in the mother’s body.

Fatherhood can involve:

Financial support.

Physical presence.

Emotional involvement.

Protection.

Teaching.

Discipline.

Encouragement.

Education.

And long-term commitment.

A man should not be able to treat sex as recreation while expecting women, taxpayers, grandparents, or society to carry the consequences.

Sexual responsibility applies to men and women.

Children Have Needs Adults Do Not

Adults often discuss family policy primarily in terms of adult freedom.

Children require another perspective.

Children need:

Food.

Shelter.

Safety.

Attachment.

Education.

Healthcare.

Discipline.

Guidance.

Time.

Consistency.

And dependable adults.

Whenever possible, children benefit from adults who accept long-term responsibility rather than treating relationships as temporary arrangements based only upon current feelings.

Public policy should therefore consider not only what adults want but also what children need.

Parents Are Their Children’s First Teachers

Family life shapes children long before formal schooling begins.

Parents teach children through:

Conversation.

Example.

Discipline.

Affection.

Reading.

Work.

Worship.

Meals.

Chores.

Rules.

Conflict.

Forgiveness.

And everyday choices.

Children observe how adults speak.

How they treat one another.

How they handle money.

Whether promises matter.

Whether work matters.

Whether faith matters.

Whether other people deserve respect.

Family is one of society’s most powerful institutions of formation.

Strong Families Benefit Society

Healthy families perform enormous amounts of work that government does not have to perform.

Families care for infants.

Raise children.

Support people during unemployment.

Care for sick relatives.

Help elderly parents.

Provide housing during emergencies.

Teach responsibility.

Share resources.

Offer emotional support.

And pass knowledge and traditions between generations.

When families function well, they create social strength that cannot easily be replaced by government programs.

Family Breakdown Has Consequences

Not every struggling family experiences the same outcome, and children from difficult circumstances can flourish.

We should avoid simplistic claims that one family circumstance determines someone’s future.

Nevertheless, family instability can create additional challenges.

Divorce.

Abandonment.

Repeated changes in partners.

Domestic violence.

Parental addiction.

Chronic conflict.

Absent parents.

And financial instability

can affect children emotionally, socially, educationally, and economically.

Public policy should be willing to consider these consequences without condemning people whose families have experienced them.

Marriage Does Not Guarantee a Healthy Home

Simply having two married parents does not guarantee that children live in a healthy environment.

A marriage may contain:

Violence.

Abuse.

Addiction.

Infidelity.

Neglect.

Manipulation.

Or constant destructive conflict.

Christians should never tell someone to remain in immediate danger merely to preserve the appearance of family stability.

Safety matters.

Abuse should be taken seriously.

Authorities should intervene appropriately when crimes occur or children are endangered.

Promoting marriage must never mean protecting abuse.

Divorce Sometimes Becomes a Painful Reality

Jesus treated marriage as a serious covenant.

Christians therefore should not treat divorce casually.

But divorce occurs.

Some marriages experience adultery.

Abandonment.

Abuse.

Addiction.

Or severe breakdown.

When divorce occurs, adults should make every reasonable effort not to place children in the middle of their conflict.

Children should not become weapons.

They should not be taught to hate the other parent.

Financial responsibilities remain.

Parental responsibilities remain.

A marriage may end.

Parenthood does not.

Single Parents Deserve Support, Not Contempt

Many single parents are carrying enormous responsibilities faithfully.

Some became single parents through death.

Divorce.

Abandonment.

Abuse.

Or circumstances they never expected.

Others may regret earlier choices.

Whatever the history, the child exists now and needs care.

Churches should support single parents.

Communities should encourage responsible parenting.

Government policy should avoid unnecessarily making family formation or parental responsibility more difficult.

Responsibility and compassion should remain together.

Sexual Ethics Begin Before Public Policy

Christians should not expect government to accomplish through legislation what families and churches have neglected to teach.

Christian sexual ethics include:

Chastity.

Faithfulness.

Self-control.

Respect.

Marriage.

Responsibility.

And recognition that our bodies and choices matter.

If churches rarely teach these things and parents avoid discussing them, government policy cannot repair the entire cultural problem.

Formation begins much earlier.

Christian Sexual Ethics Are More Demanding Than “Do Whatever You Want”

Scripture does not present sexual desire as the final authority for human behavior.

Christians are called to self-control.

Paul wrote:

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NASB 1995)

Christianity teaches that not every desire should be acted upon.

That principle applies far beyond sexuality.

Anger does not justify violence.

Desire for money does not justify theft.

Attraction does not justify adultery.

Freedom does not eliminate moral boundaries.

Discipleship involves learning to submit desires to God.

Sexuality Is Not the Entirety of Human Identity

Modern culture often treats sexuality as one of the defining characteristics of personal identity.

Christianity begins somewhere deeper.

Our fundamental identity comes from being human beings created by God and, for Christians, belonging to Jesus Christ.

Every person deserves dignity.

Every person experiences desires that must be evaluated morally.

Every Christian needs grace.

And every Christian is called to holiness.

Sexual ethics should therefore never become an excuse to treat some people as though their particular temptations make them less human than everyone else.

Christians Must Treat LGBTQ People With Dignity

Historic Christian teaching concerning marriage and sexual behavior should never justify hatred, mockery, cruelty, bullying, harassment, or violence against LGBTQ people.

Every person bears God’s image.

Christians can hold convictions about sexual morality while treating people who disagree with those convictions as neighbors deserving dignity and respect.

Jesus calls us to love people.

That does not require agreement about every moral question.

Nor does moral disagreement give us permission to treat another person with contempt.

Moral Conviction and Civil Law Are Not Identical

This distinction is essential.

Christians believe many behaviors are sinful that should not necessarily be criminalized.

Pride is sinful.

Greed is sinful.

Gossip is sinful.

Lust is sinful.

Failure to forgive can be sinful.

Government could not—and should not—attempt to police every sinful thought or action.

Therefore, Christians must ask more than:

Does Scripture call this sinful?

We must also ask:

Is this something civil government should regulate?

Those are different questions.

Government Has Limited but Important Responsibilities

Government has legitimate interests where family life affects:

Children’s welfare.

Abuse.

Neglect.

Property.

Inheritance.

Financial responsibility.

Child support.

Custody.

Domestic violence.

Medical decision-making.

And legal relationships.

Government therefore cannot be completely absent from family policy.

But neither should government attempt to replace families or churches.

The challenge is determining appropriate boundaries.

Religious Liberty Must Be Protected

Marriage and sexuality involve deeply held religious convictions.

Christians.

Jews.

Muslims.

Other religious communities.

And nonreligious citizens

may hold very different beliefs.

A pluralistic society must determine how people with profound disagreements can live together peacefully.

Christians should defend the right to teach biblical beliefs about marriage and sexuality.

Churches should be free to determine their own doctrine.

Religious schools should be able to teach their convictions.

Pastors should not be compelled to perform ceremonies contrary to their faith.

Religious institutions should retain meaningful freedom to order their religious life according to their beliefs.

At the same time, religious liberty should not become a slogan used to justify every form of mistreatment.

Difficult conflicts require careful legal distinctions.

Civil Equality and Religious Liberty Can Sometimes Come Into Tension

Public policy becomes particularly difficult when one person’s claim of equal treatment conflicts with another person’s claim of religious conscience.

These disputes can involve:

Employment.

Education.

Healthcare.

Public accommodations.

Adoption.

Marriage services.

Religious organizations.

And professional licensing.

Christians should resist simplistic answers.

We should ask:

Is this genuinely religious activity?

Is someone being compelled to affirm a belief?

Is access to an essential service being denied?

Are reasonable alternatives available?

Would an exemption substantially harm another person?

Can both interests be accommodated?

Constitutional government often requires balancing legitimate interests rather than pretending only one matters.

Parents Have Rights

Parents have a deep interest in the upbringing of their children.

That includes decisions concerning:

Education.

Religious formation.

Medical care.

Moral instruction.

Family values.

And age-appropriate discussions of sexuality.

Government should not casually displace parents from these responsibilities.

Parents ordinarily know and love their children in ways institutions cannot replicate.

Parental Rights Come With Responsibilities

Rights and responsibilities belong together.

Parents who demand authority over their children must also accept responsibility for them.

Feed them.

House them.

Educate them.

Protect them.

Provide appropriate healthcare.

Teach them.

Discipline them appropriately.

Know where they are.

Know what they are doing.

Pay attention to their friendships.

Monitor age-appropriate technology use.

Teach them about relationships and sexuality.

And prepare them gradually for adulthood.

Parental rights should never become an excuse for neglect or abuse.

Parents Should Teach Their Children About Sex

If parents refuse to discuss sexuality, someone else will.

Peers.

Entertainment.

Pornography.

Social media.

Schools.

Influencers.

Advertising.

And the broader culture

will provide messages.

Christian parents should not surrender the subject because it feels uncomfortable.

Children need age-appropriate teaching about:

Their bodies.

Privacy.

Boundaries.

Consent.

Respect.

Puberty.

Marriage.

Sex.

Pregnancy.

Pornography.

Sexual exploitation.

Online safety.

Christian sexual ethics.

And responsibility.

Parents should establish themselves as trustworthy people children can approach with difficult questions.

Pornography Has Changed the Environment

The internet has given children and adults unprecedented access to sexually explicit material.

Pornography can shape expectations concerning bodies, sex, consent, relationships, and intimacy.

Parents should not assume children will never encounter it.

Technology boundaries matter.

Conversation matters.

Accountability matters.

Churches should address pornography honestly rather than waiting until addiction or damaged relationships develop.

Public policy also has legitimate concerns about exploitation, trafficking, child sexual abuse material, and protecting minors.

Consent Is Essential but Not a Complete Sexual Ethic

Sex without consent is assault.

Consent therefore matters profoundly.

But Christianity asks questions beyond consent.

Is the relationship faithful?

Is it loving?

Is it exploitative?

Is it within marriage?

Could a child result?

Are both people prepared for the consequences?

Is either person being manipulated?

Does the behavior honor God?

Two adults consenting to something does not automatically answer every moral question.

Consent establishes an essential boundary.

It is not the entire Christian ethic.

Children Must Be Protected From Sexual Exploitation

Whatever disagreements adults have about sexuality, society should share a strong commitment to protecting children.

Children cannot meaningfully consent to sexual relationships with adults.

Sexual abuse.

Exploitation.

Trafficking.

Grooming.

Child pornography or child sexual abuse material.

And predatory behavior

should be taken extremely seriously.

Government has a clear responsibility to protect children from abuse and prosecute those who exploit them.

Churches must also report abuse appropriately rather than hiding wrongdoing to protect institutions or reputations.

Age-Appropriate Education Matters

Children need truthful information appropriate to their developmental stage.

A six-year-old and a sixteen-year-old do not need identical information presented in identical ways.

Parents should know what schools teach.

Schools should communicate clearly with parents.

Parents should have meaningful opportunities to understand curriculum.

Disagreements should be addressed respectfully rather than assuming either parents or educators are automatically acting in bad faith.

Schools Cannot Replace Parents

Schools can teach biology.

Health.

Safety.

And age-appropriate information.

But parents remain responsible for the larger moral framework in which their children understand sexuality, relationships, marriage, and family.

A public school serving families with different religious convictions cannot fully provide every family’s moral and spiritual formation.

Parents must do their part.

Public Policy Should Consider Incentives

Government programs can influence behavior even when that was not their purpose.

Tax policy.

Welfare programs.

Childcare subsidies.

Marriage penalties.

Benefit eligibility.

Housing rules.

Child support enforcement.

And family leave policies

can affect family decisions.

A compassionate policy may still produce unintended consequences.

Therefore, policymakers should ask:

Does this policy unintentionally discourage marriage?

Does it make family formation harder?

Does it encourage parental responsibility?

Does it penalize people who marry?

Does it help children without unnecessarily weakening families?

Does it make work and advancement possible?

Good intentions should be accompanied by careful evaluation of outcomes.

Poverty and Family Structure Can Interact

Poverty has many causes.

Low wages.

Poor education.

Disability.

Economic downturns.

Housing costs.

Medical expenses.

Addiction.

Crime.

Geography.

And family circumstances can all contribute.

Family structure can also affect economic stability.

Two responsible adults sharing housing, childcare, income, and household responsibilities may have advantages unavailable to one parent carrying everything alone.

That does not mean every married family escapes poverty.

Nor does it mean single parents should be blamed for poverty.

It means family stability is one factor worth considering rather than excluding it from public discussion.

Work and Family Both Matter

Families need income.

Children also need time and care.

Public policy concerning:

Childcare.

Family leave.

Work schedules.

Taxes.

Housing.

And wages

can affect families significantly.

There is no single arrangement that is best for every household.

Some families choose two working parents.

Some choose one parent to remain home.

Some use grandparents.

Some use childcare.

Some homeschool.

Some combine arrangements over different seasons.

Government should generally leave room for families to make responsible choices rather than assuming one model fits everyone.

Staying Home With Children Can Be Valuable Work

A parent who stays home to raise children is working.

The work may not generate a paycheck.

But caring for children, preparing meals, managing a household, teaching, transporting, scheduling, cleaning, and providing emotional support have real value.

Families should be free to decide that one parent’s full-time presence at home is worth financial sacrifice.

Public policy should avoid treating unpaid caregiving as though it contributes nothing to society.

Working Parents Should Not Be Condemned

At the same time, parents who work outside the home should not automatically be treated as less devoted to their children.

Families have different circumstances.

Housing costs.

Insurance.

Debt.

Career obligations.

Single parenthood.

And personal calling

may influence decisions.

The better question is not:

Does this family look exactly like mine?

It is:

Are the children being loved, protected, taught, and responsibly cared for?

Marriage Should Not Be Entered Casually

Because marriage can have long-term consequences for spouses and children, preparation matters.

Couples should discuss:

Faith.

Children.

Money.

Debt.

Work.

Sex.

Family expectations.

Education.

Parenting.

Church involvement.

Conflict.

Household responsibilities.

And long-term goals.

Premarital counseling can help uncover differences before they become crises.

Choosing wisely before marriage is often easier than trying to repair profound incompatibility afterward.

Government Cannot Manufacture Good Marriages

Government can define legal responsibilities.

Enforce child support.

Protect people from violence.

Establish divorce procedures.

And regulate certain family matters.

But government cannot create:

Love.

Faithfulness.

Patience.

Forgiveness.

Self-control.

Sacrifice.

Responsible parenting.

Or spiritual maturity.

Those qualities are formed primarily through families, churches, communities, relationships, and personal character.

Government has limits.

Churches Have Responsibilities

If Christians want stronger marriages and families, churches must do more than advocate public policy.

Teach young people.

Prepare couples for marriage.

Support newlyweds.

Mentor fathers.

Mentor mothers.

Help struggling marriages.

Support single parents.

Care for widows.

Help families affected by addiction.

Provide childcare when possible.

Teach financial stewardship.

Protect children.

Respond appropriately to abuse.

Welcome people whose families do not fit an ideal picture.

And offer grace when relationships have broken.

Public policy cannot replace Christian ministry.

Grace Is Essential

No family is perfect.

Some people have divorced.

Some conceived children outside marriage.

Some have been unfaithful.

Some chose spouses unwisely.

Some failed as parents.

Some were abandoned.

Some experienced abuse.

Some have sexual histories they deeply regret.

Some families are carrying consequences from decisions made years ago.

Christian teaching about marriage and sexuality must always include the gospel.

Jesus does not tell us that sin does not matter.

He offers forgiveness, transformation, and new life.

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” — Romans 8:1 (NASB 1995)

The past cannot always be undone.

But God’s grace can change what happens next.

Responsibility Means Asking What Happens Next

When a family is already struggling, repeating what should have happened earlier may accomplish little.

The more useful question may be:

What responsibility do I have now?

The child is already here.

Support the child.

The marriage is struggling.

Seek help.

The father has been absent.

Begin fulfilling responsibilities.

The family is in debt.

Make a plan.

The relationship has been damaged.

Seek repentance, forgiveness, accountability, and appropriate boundaries.

Biblical responsibility deals honestly with the past while acting faithfully in the present.

Public Policy Should Strengthen Rather Than Replace Families

A useful principle for evaluating family policy is:

Does this help families fulfill their responsibilities, or does it unnecessarily transfer those responsibilities elsewhere?

Sometimes government intervention is necessary.

Children may need protection.

Families may experience genuine poverty.

A parent may become disabled.

A spouse may die.

Abuse may require intervention.

But whenever possible, policy should strengthen the ability of families to care for their members rather than assuming institutions can permanently replace family relationships.

We Must Consider Unintended Consequences

Policies concerning marriage, sexuality, children, and family assistance should be evaluated over time.

Ask:

What behavior does this reward?

What behavior does it discourage?

Does it unintentionally penalize marriage?

Does it reduce parental responsibility?

Does it make fathers less necessary?

Does it make it harder for parents to stay home if they choose?

Does it make childcare unnecessarily expensive?

Does it protect children?

Does it strengthen stable families?

Does it create dependency?

Does it help people become self-supporting?

Does it respect religious liberty?

Does it create unnecessary conflicts between government and families?

Compassionate intentions do not guarantee beneficial results.

When Faithful Christians Disagree

Christians who share biblical convictions can still disagree about public policy.

They may disagree about:

Marriage law.

Divorce law.

Tax policy.

Parental rights.

School curriculum.

Sex education.

Religious exemptions.

Anti-discrimination law.

Family leave.

Childcare subsidies.

Welfare policy.

Adoption policy.

And the proper boundaries of government.

Some disagreements involve different theological convictions.

Others involve disagreements about constitutional law, practical consequences, or how best to protect competing interests.

Christians should distinguish between:

What Scripture teaches morally

and

Which particular government policy will best promote justice and the common good.

The second question often requires prudential judgment.

Questions Christians Should Ask

Does this policy recognize the importance of stable families?

Does it protect children?

Does it encourage mothers and fathers to accept responsibility?

Does it respect parental rights while holding parents responsible for their children?

Does it protect people from abuse and exploitation?

Does it respect religious liberty?

Does it allow people with different beliefs to live together peacefully?

Does it unnecessarily compel someone to affirm beliefs contrary to conscience?

Does it treat people who disagree with us with dignity?

Does it strengthen marriage or unintentionally weaken it?

Does it help struggling families without encouraging permanent dependency?

Does it recognize the value of unpaid caregiving?

Does it leave room for families to choose different responsible arrangements for work and childcare?

Does it distinguish adult autonomy from the special vulnerability of children?

Does it consider unintended consequences?

Are we asking government to solve something families, churches, or communities should primarily address?

These questions move us beyond slogans.

A Biblical Balance

Marriage matters.

Family matters.

Sex matters.

Children matter.

Mothers matter.

Fathers matter.

Personal freedom matters.

Responsibility matters.

Religious liberty matters.

Safety matters.

Compassion matters.

And government has limits.

Christians should uphold biblical teaching about marriage without treating people outside that teaching with contempt.

We should defend parental rights while insisting upon parental responsibilities.

We should teach sexual responsibility before crises occur.

We should expect fathers as well as mothers to care for children they help create.

We should support marriage without pretending every marriage is healthy.

We should support single parents without pretending absent parents do not matter.

We should protect people from abuse.

We should protect children from exploitation.

We should recognize that government cannot manufacture strong families.

We should evaluate policies for unintended consequences.

We should protect meaningful religious liberty in a society where people disagree profoundly.

And we should remember that the church’s responsibility is greater than winning political arguments.

We are called to build marriages.

Support families.

Teach children.

Help parents.

Protect vulnerable people.

Welcome those who are hurting.

Speak truth.

Practice compassion.

And offer the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.

Questions for Personal Reflection

Do I think about marriage primarily in terms of adult happiness or also in terms of commitment and responsibility?

If I am unmarried, am I considering character when choosing whom to date and potentially marry?

Do I recognize that sexual choices can create long-term responsibilities?

Do I expect fathers to accept responsibility as strongly as mothers?

Do I value stay-at-home parenting as genuine work?

Do I respect families who make different responsible choices about work and childcare?

Do I believe parents have responsibilities as well as rights?

Am I teaching children the values I expect schools or society to reinforce?

Do I treat LGBTQ people with dignity even when I disagree with their beliefs or choices?

Can I defend Christian convictions without cruelty?

Can I defend religious liberty without using it as an excuse for mistreatment?

Do I expect government to accomplish things that families and churches should be doing?

Do I consider unintended consequences when evaluating family policy?

Would I personally help a struggling marriage, single parent, child, caregiver, or family in crisis?

Does my church strengthen families in practical ways?

Am I willing to extend grace to people whose family histories are complicated or painful?

A Prayer for Marriages, Families, Children, and Our Nation

Father, You created us and know what we need.

Give us wisdom as we think about marriage, sexuality, children, families, and public policy.

Strengthen marriages.

Teach husbands and wives faithfulness.

Help couples love one another when feelings change and circumstances become difficult.

Give unmarried people wisdom when choosing relationships.

Help them look beyond appearance and attraction to character, faith, responsibility, and the kind of family they may someday build.

Teach us sexual self-control.

Help young people understand that sexual choices can have lifelong consequences.

Give men courage to become responsible fathers.

Give women strength and support as mothers.

Help parents understand that they are their children’s first teachers.

Give them wisdom to teach faith, responsibility, manners, respect, self-control, compassion, and truth.

Strengthen parents who remain home with children.

Strengthen parents who work outside the home.

Give every family wisdom to make responsible choices for its circumstances.

Help single parents carrying responsibilities alone.

Call absent parents back to responsibility.

Protect children from abuse, exploitation, neglect, trafficking, and violence.

Give churches courage to report wrongdoing rather than protect reputations.

Bring healing to families damaged by addiction, adultery, abandonment, divorce, conflict, or abuse.

Protect people who are in danger.

Give wisdom to teachers and schools.

Help parents and educators work together where possible.

Protect religious liberty.

Give us wisdom when rights and freedoms come into conflict.

Help us treat people who disagree with us with dignity.

Keep Christians from cruelty, mockery, hatred, and self-righteousness.

Give lawmakers wisdom.

Help them understand the limits of government.

Help them strengthen families rather than unnecessarily replace them.

Help them consider the long-term and unintended consequences of policies.

Give churches wisdom to do the work government cannot do.

Teach.

Mentor.

Counsel.

Feed.

Encourage.

Protect.

Support.

Forgive.

And walk beside people whose lives are complicated.

Most of all, remind us that no family is beyond Your grace.

Where we have failed, forgive us.

Where relationships are broken, guide us.

Where restoration is possible, help us pursue it.

Where boundaries are necessary, give wisdom.

Where the past cannot be changed, show us how to live faithfully from this day forward.

Help our homes reflect the love, truth, responsibility, faithfulness, compassion, and grace of Jesus Christ.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Marriage, Family, Sexuality, and Public Policy

Crime, Punishment, Prison Reform, and Restoration

Guns, Violence, Self-Defense, and Public Safety

Freedom of Speech, Protest, and Peaceful Dissent

Race, Racism, Discrimination, and Equal Justice

War, Peace, National Defense, and Military Force

Creation Care, Energy, Environment, and Economic Stewardship

Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Privacy, and Human Dignity