Responsibilities of Parents

Topic

1. Parents Must Not Frustrate Their Children:

    A. Provoking to anger: Eph. 6:4 (this does not forbid any angering of the child because most any discipline or rule might make a child angry)

    B. Discouraging: Col. 3:21 (herein is the key, don't let the guidance be such that discourages the well meaning child; examples; being too dominant, rules with no purpose, parents who won't listen to genuine questions, etc.)

2. Parents Must Train Their Children:

    A. Bringing them up in admonition: Eph. 6:4 (this involves teaching God's word to children)

    B. A planned effort: Prov. 22:6 (training implies a preplanned, determined effort; as a general rule this will not fail)

    C. Teach your children: Deut. 6:6-9 (your child's life should be filled with a study of God's word starting with short Bible stories as soon as they can understand what you are saying; gradually increase the length and intensity of your study as they grow and mature)

3. Parents Must Discipline Their Children:

    A. Motivated by love: Prov. 13:24 (love motivated discipline is not abusive; it must be done early in life and swiftly)

    B. The child's soul is in danger: Prov. 23:13-14 (their should be a sense of urgency about your task) Prov. 19:18 (urgency, don't let the tears hinder you from your task)

    C. Don't let nature take its course: Prov. 29:15 (out with the idea of letting the "good person" in your child come out; man is sinful by nature, not good)

    D. Discipline works: Prov. 22:15, Heb. 12:5-11 (it yields peaceable fruits of righteousness)

4. Parents Must Give Their Children Something worth Keeping:

    Prov. 1:8-9 (the best inheritance you can leave your children is unwavering faith in God and respect for his will) Eph. 6:l-3 (this respect is established by teaching them respectful obedience toward you)