Family Strong: Children Series

But sin nature was a problem back then….. and that hasn’t changed, has it?

In the New Testament, Jesus came, and the weight and importance of grace was fully revealed as part of the grand mystery of God. So today, we have seen the pendulum swing, from a society that raised and valued disciplined children to one that tolerates spoiled children.

Despite the coming of grace, children still need discipline. Because of the nature of sin and how it attacks the home, we see two problems. These are between discipline and love.

1. We either see a home full of love for the kids, but not enough discipline.

2. Or we see a home full of discipline and not enough compassion.

In both historical spiritual economies (and I mean the Old Testament and the New Testament), the Bible teaches that children have a sin nature that must be addressed. One commandment was quoted in both the OT and NT as essential; the one in our text.

I. Obey.

“Children, obey your parents, for this is right.”

The first statement to the home involves obedience of the parents. Just as God placed rules and laws for mankind and expected him to obey them in early history, in the early childhood, the child must be taught to obey.

Disobedience to authority is anarchy and anarchy is opposite of godliness. Too often, parents hear Proverbs 22:6 (Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it), and think that simply means to raise the child up in church. There is much involved in that verse, but one way is to teach the child to respect and obey authority, especially the authority in the home.

In the Jewish culture, there were only a few ways a child was removed from the authority of the parents. Marriage, of course, is the first one. A man and woman were to leave their mother and father, meaning their authority and financial support, and cleave to one another.

Another way was when the child reached the age of 30. Why did Jesus not begin his ministry until the age of 30? Because he obeyed his parents and had to be released to speak directly from God as authority.

And, of course, if the parents died. Then guardians were appointed to serve until the child was released.

II. Honor.

Second, the text tell us to honor our parents. Did you know that children can be taught to obey their parents without honoring them?

Obedience is to do what the parents ask and expect. Honoring them is to accept their values as to why the give their commands. Proverbs teaches that in the early days of a child, you teach them to obey. In the later years, when the child has gained understanding, you teach them the values that will guide their lives. Children are commanded by God to obey their parents and to understand their reasoning. That is to honor the parents.

Illust.: We did a lot wrong with our son. I wouldn’t want to give the wrong impression. But one of the few things we did right was this:

When our son, Ryan, was disobedience, we made sure he understood what he did wrong and why it was wrong. I usually announced the punishment at the first of our talks. If it were a spanking (yes, I believe in corporal punishment bathed in a lot of love and compassion), I would say, “Ryan, this has earned you a spanking, as you understood it would. “Can you tell me what you did wrong to earn this spanking?”