13. What is the sphere and assignment given by God to family government?

God has assigned the dominion mandate to families as well, with the particular tasks of providing for the basic nurture, health, welfare, and education of individuals in the household.

14. Who are the magistrates of the family?

Ordinarily, God gives husbands and fathers primary authority and responsibility for the provision and protection of their household. Every wife and mother is the vice-magistrate of the home, assisting her husband, bearing and training up their children, and ruling her home in wisdom and beauty.

15. What does the provision of health and welfare entail?

The health and welfare of a household entail the basic ongoing material and spiritual provisions of love, care, friendship, intimacy, food, clothing, and shelter, as well as the responsibility to provide for medical expenses, disabilities, retirement, and inheritance.

16. What does Christian education entail?

Parents are required by God to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of Lord Jesus. This is the task of teaching children to love God with all that they are in every area of life all day long, but it is also the broader task of handing down the skills, loyalties, and spiritual and material inheritance necessary for the household to successfully replicate itself over generations under the blessing of God.

17. What sanctions has God given to the government of the family?

God has given parents the authority to discipline children in the love of Christ, both in positive encouragement and with the use of the rod of correction. Ultimately, if a child persists in rebellion and unbelief, Christian parents have the responsibility to disinherit him.

18. What is the duty of all people with regard to the government of the family?

It is the duty of all people to honor their father and mother, that their lives may be long in the land. All people are also required to honor the marriage bed and consider it and the blessing of children among the highest gifts given by God to men, and the basic building block of human society.