Forgetting the fundamentals

Have you ever heard someone say, “Keep the main thing the main thing,” or “Don’t forget the fundamentals?” If you have, it’s likely been in a church, business, or sports setting where you were being told to focus on what is most important. There’s a biblical lesson undergirding this sentiment.
In Genesis 1 and 2, God displays to us a few important roles for the family unit:
▶ We were created male and female in God’s image (Genesis 1:27).
▶ We were created to be together (Genesis 2:18).
▶ We were created to multiply our kind (Genesis 1:28).
▶ We were created to work in and steward creation (Genesis 2:15).

Since the dawn of creation, the family unit has undergirded all civilized societies. The biblical family unit, as established in Genesis, was the first institution that God Himself ordained. Sadly, many living in modern Western civilization view family as unnecessary or insignificant in the grand scheme of life.
Secular culture almost completely separates marriage and family from the purpose of bearing offspring, as if the two aren’t interconnected. Unwed men and women are living together and having children, while the idea of marriage is often foreign to them. Singleness is more prominent now than it has been historically, and divorce and abortion are widespread. According to Pew Research Center, in 2019, 38% of American adults between the ages of 25 and 54 were unmarried, compared to 29% in 1990.
I blame this outcome on the following three factors:
Expanding government – Modern changes in the role of civil government are serving as an artificial replacement for the family unit. Traditionally, civil government existed to provide national defense and to serve as a representative to other nations. In 21st-century America, the government now aims to provide basic human needs, such as housing, food, water, child care, and much more. Two hundred years ago, who would have thought that the government would be in the business of social services? This has directly aided in the degradation of the family because basic needs that would usually flow through the family unit are now being met elsewhere.
Advancing technology – Technology is an artificial replacement for the relationships that once came from within the family unit. Family members used to play an integral role in meeting daily needs. For example, in early America, many families would produce their own food, and each member would contribute to the outcome. Men would hunt wild game and bring it home for dinner. That was the norm. For many, it was natural and instinctive. It wasn’t optional.
Now, with technology and modern advancements, one individual can live and thrive materially without relying on others. Who needs a family when he can get affirmation and affection from social media users on another continent?
Rejecting God – Western culture is widely embracing the governmental and technological replacement of the family unit. I believe this is primarily due to the reality that Western culture largely rejects God. When humans lose touch with their original meaning and purpose, as established in Genesis, then all alternatives are on the table. Not only are seemingly viable alternatives to the family unit being offered, but they also feed our sin nature by prioritizing self-indulgence. This central drift toward secular humanism is causing advancements in government and technology to be used as a wedge between man and our Creator.
If we ever expect American culture and Western civilization to thrive, or even survive, we must return to the fundamentals of marriage, family, procreation, and hard work. Without a primary biblical focus on these main things, Christians will be spinning their wheels and will be disappointed at the lack of cultural transformation.