The Fall of the Family: Introduction

by James Robison

The family is the very foundation of any society. Historically, when the family fails the society fails. The great Roman Empire was not toppled by invading armies, but was destroyed from within by the decay of the family. Gibbon's classic, "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" lists the "rapid increase in divorce in the home" and "undermining the sancity and dignity of the home" as 2 major reasons for the collapse of the Roman Empire. If the forces of darkness can destroy the family, they will have destroyed the very foundation on which any sane civilization sits.

If the above is true, them America is in serious trouble. The divorce rate is rapidly approaching the 50% mark in America (1 million couples were divorced last year), and the practice of living together without being married has increased 5 fold among persons under 45 in the past 6 years alone. Dr. Frederick Humphrey, President of America Ass'n of Marriage and Family Counselors, says that one half of the cases counselors deal with involve adultry. The Portland, Oregon, Housing Authority now allows unmarried couples to apply for subsidized housing. And a recent survey by Redbook Magazine revealed that 9 out of 10 women surveyed indicated they had had premartial sexual relationships.

The family structure is not the result of man's wisdom, but is a God-designed institution through which life is to exist. God's first human creations, Adam and Eve, were put together as a family. Even the very son of God, Jesus, was born into the context of a family. And as Gos inspired the writing of His word, he chose the family structure as an illustration of the relationship between Christ and His Church. Why then, is the family failing to stand firm against the threatening alternatives?

Robison, James. "The Fall of the Family." Life's Answer October 1977: 1-2.