The Father's Place In The Home

The Father’s Place In The Home

As a husband becomes a father, his responsibility to his wife becomes greater because it now reaches out to the new responsibilities created by the children born into the home. As the father, he becomes responsible not only for feeding & clothing them, but God holds him responsible for seeing that they are taught His statutes & raised under His admonition.

For a man to share the title of “father” with God Himself is a high honor. What kind of man does God wish one to be who holds this title? That’s a good question to answer. What type of man does God want a father to be? (honest, fair, loving, just, forgiving, respectful, merciful)

The glory of children is their father. The father influences their children by teaching, by example, & by discipline.

Father’s Responsibility

What are some of the responsibilities of a godly father? Let’s see what God says.

“Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father.” (Proverbs 17:6)

Children draw honor from the father whose blood flows in their veins. They take pride in knowing “This is my father.” As this verse says, “the glory of children is their father.” Children’s character is greatly influenced by the character of their father.

“For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” (Genesis 18:19)

“For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him.” These are the words of the Lord concerning Abraham. He will lead his children to follow his example. If necessary, using his authority as a father to secure obedience.

“they keep the way of the LORD” Abraham walked in the way the Lord led & would see that his children did the same. He was not an indifferent or negligent father. For this reason, God could use Abraham in the place He planned for him.

The father will raise children for Christ by example, by teaching, & by discipline. With firmness & kindness, he requires obedience. He teaches them God’s Word. This is the most important quality for bringing up children.

“And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ that you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’” So, the people bowed their heads and worshiped. (Exodus 12:26-27)

“When your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?” Children are always asking why. That’s something every parent learns quickly. This gives parents an excellent opportunity to teach them. “That you shall say,” Tell them what the Bible has to say, & how it leads to their salvation in Christ. God commanded Israelite parents to teach their children of God & His blessings & commands. Fathers were to take the lead in teaching their children & being the leader of the godly family.

Pass On the Truth

“The living, the living man, he shall praise You, As I do this day; The father shall make known Your truth to the children.” (Isaiah 38:19)

The father shall make known Your truth to the children.” God’s truth is a truth which must be passed on. It is the father’s responsibility to pass it on. This is TEACHING. Almost any change can be made in one generation. The Gospel can be lost or gained in that time. We cannot presume that our children will know the Gospel just because we do. They will not unless it is taught to them. We are the ones who must teach them. Godly parents are almost the only source of this level of teaching today. God is being removed from so many places in society. And we see the effects of this. Parents have a divine duty to teach their children the truth of God.

“The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.” (Proverbs 20:7)

The righteous man walks in his integrity. That’s saying he walks righteously.

His children are blessed after him. How does this righteous father bless his children after him?

Children are not rewarded for their father’s good life, but his life is an example to them. A good example in & of itself. It shows the way & encourages them to walk in it. A father’s life cannot save his children, but it can be a powerful influence drawing them to be saved. This is an EXAMPLE!

Rule Well

“one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence.” (1 Timothy 3:4)