25-0409, The Truth Project, Tour 7.2

In a culture that prizes autonomy and resists authority, Dr. Del Tackett’s The Truth Project, Tour 7, offers a countercultural vision: human society thrives when it reflects God’s nature. Drawing from Dr. R.C. Sproul, Tackett argues that God didn’t craft social institutions like Family and Church from thin air or human whim. Instead, they flow from His own being—a "divine imprint" rooted in the Trinity itself. This imprint, seen in the interplay of authority, submission, and unity, shapes how we’re meant to live.

Consider the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father sends, the Son obeys, the Spirit proceeds—distinct roles, yet perfect oneness (John 10:30; 14:26). There’s no rivalry, only harmony. Tackett sees this pattern mirrored in the Family (husband, wife, children) and the Church (Christ, leaders, flock). Each has a structure: a head to lead, others to follow, and a shared identity binding them together. This isn’t oppression—it’s a reflection of God’s relational essence.

Take the Family. Ephesians 5:22-33 compares marriage to Christ and the Church. Husbands are called to love sacrificially, "as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (v. 25). Wives submit "as to the Lord" (v. 22), not out of inferiority but as part of a unified purpose—"the two will become one flesh" (v. 31). Scripture reinforces this design elsewhere: Genesis 2:18-24 establishes marriage as God’s creation, affirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19:4-8. Malachi 2:13-16 warns against breaking this covenant, while 1 Peter 3:1-7 and Colossians 3:18-21 call for mutual honor and love. Parents, too, have roles—Exodus 20:12 commands children to honor them, and Titus 2:4-5 urges mothers to nurture godly homes. Fathers, uniquely, must raise children "in the training and instruction of the Lord" without exasperating them (Ephesians 6:4).

The Church parallels this. Christ is the head, leading with love (Ephesians 5:23). Leaders—elders and pastors—are appointed to shepherd (Titus 1:5-6; Acts 20:28), watching over souls with accountability (Hebrews 13:17). Those who preach and teach well earn double honor (1 Timothy 5:17), not for power, but for service. Believers submit, not blindly, but to foster unity under Christ’s authority. This structure mirrors the Trinity’s order, where submission doesn’t diminish equality.

Why does this matter? Because God is a God of order, not chaos (1 Corinthians 14:33). When Family and Church stray from this imprint—when authority becomes tyranny or submission resentment—disorder creeps in (James 3:16). Yet when aligned with God’s design, they reflect His glory. The husband’s leadership, tempered by love, echoes Christ’s sacrifice. The wife’s submission, offered willingly, mirrors the Church’s devotion. Elders guide like shepherds, and the flock thrives in unity.

This isn’t just theology—it’s practical. A family where roles are honored produces stability and love, not strife. A church under godly leadership grows in faith, not division. Scripture like Hebrews 13:4 ("Let marriage be held in honor") and Colossians 3:21 ("Fathers, do not provoke your children") shows how this order protects relationships from cultural erosion.

Tackett’s teaching challenges us: Do we see authority and submission as burdens, or as gifts reflecting God’s nature? In a world that often equates structure with oppression, the divine imprint offers a different story. It’s not about power struggles but about living as God intended—interconnected, purposeful, and unified. The Trinity doesn’t compete; it communes. So too should our families and churches.

This vision isn’t easy. Sin distorts God’s design, turning husbands into dictators or wives into rebels, leaders into overlords or flocks into critics. But the solution isn’t to abandon the imprint—it’s to realign with it. By embracing God’s pattern, we don’t just survive; we flourish, displaying His beauty to a watching world.