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CRS • SHS 1Term 3WAEC / WASSCE SyllabusVIP Lesson
Christian Marriage, Family Life & Social Responsibility
Biblical foundation of marriage in Genesis, Ephesians 5 teaching on mutual love and submission, parental duties to children, and Christian ethics in modern society.
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Real-World Context & Relevance in Ghana
Ghanaian Christian churches conduct mandatory pre-marital counseling based on Ephesians 5 to build resilient Christian households.
Key Syllabus Learning Objectives
- 1Examine the Genesis theological model of marriage as a sacred permanent covenant
- 2Analyze Paul's instructions to husbands, wives, parents, and children in Ephesians 5 and 6
- 3Evaluate Christian ethical responses to marital instability and child neglect in contemporary Ghana
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Comprehensive Syllabus Study Notes
• Biblical Foundations of Marriage (Genesis 2:18–24):
- Divine Institution: God declared, "It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
- "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."
- Characteristics: Monogamy, covenant faithfulness, permanent companionship, and procreation.
• Marital Roles in Ephesians 5:21–33:
- Mutual Submission: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
- Wives: Submit to husbands as unto the Lord, honoring them as head of the family.
- Husbands: Love their wives sacrificially, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her—nourishing and cherishing her as his own body.
• Parent-Child Relationships (Ephesians 6:1–4):
- Children: "Obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise)."
- Fathers: "Do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
• Christian Ethics in Contemporary Ghana:
- Addressing domestic violence, divorce, neglect of elderly parents, and teenage pregnancy through Christ-centered counselling and moral guidance.
- Biblical Foundations of Marriage (Genesis 2:18–24):
- Divine Institution: God declared, "It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
- "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."
- Characteristics: Monogamy, covenant faithfulness, permanent companionship, and procreation.
- Marital Roles in Ephesians 5:21–33:
- Mutual Submission: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
- Wives: Submit to husbands as unto the Lord, honoring them as head of the family.
- Husbands: Love their wives sacrificially, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her—nourishing and cherishing her as his own body.
- Parent-Child Relationships (Ephesians 6:1–4):
- Children: "Obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise)."
- Fathers: "Do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
- Christian Ethics in Contemporary Ghana:
- Addressing domestic violence, divorce, neglect of elderly parents, and teenage pregnancy through Christ-centered counselling and moral guidance.
Practical Example:
Ghanaian Christian churches conduct mandatory pre-marital counseling based on Ephesians 5 to build resilient Christian households.
Core Takeaway:
Note carefully: Paul tells husbands to LOVE their wives as Christ loved the Church—which means sacrificial, selfless love, not tyrannical domination.
WAEC / WASSCE Examiner Tips
- Note carefully: Paul tells husbands to LOVE their wives as Christ loved the Church—which means sacrificial, selfless love, not tyrannical domination.
Common Candidate Pitfalls & Errors to Avoid
- Reading Ephesians 5 as a command to wives only and dropping the charge on the husband's love
- Calling the Genesis text a description of polygyny when it names the twain becoming one flesh
- Confusing the Ordinance marriage with customary marriage and their legal effects in Ghana
- Treating the nurture and admonition of children as a school matter rather than a parental duty
- Grounding the indissolubility of marriage on a national custom instead of on the founding text
- Reducing Christian ethics in the home to rules of dress and entertainment
Topic Mastery Checklist
- Examine the Genesis theological model of marriage as a sacred permanent covenant
- Analyze Paul's instructions to husbands, wives, parents, and children in Ephesians 5 and 6
- Evaluate Christian ethical responses to marital instability and child neglect in contemporary Ghana
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