Parenthood

"thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children" Deut 6:5-12

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and When thou risest up” (Deut 6: 5-6).

“For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, Which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: that the generation to come might know them, even the children which ,should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.” (Psalm 78: 5 - 8).

“And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Eph 6: 4).

A GODLY PRINCIPLE

There is this principle in the Word of God, that is if we are faithful or diligent in the teaching of our children the commands of God then there is the promise of blessing in the form of church growth and prospering in the things of God. It is a principle we see repeated in the Old Testament in the time of Joshua and the Judges. When there was a departing from the standards of God then there followed hardship for the people of God. When the people turned again to God as at the times of the Judges, Kings David, Hezekiah and Josiah we see tremendous blessing.

This principle is repeated in the New Testament and throughout Church history. Faithfulness to God’s Word in keeping His commands by passing on these diligently to our children has seen tremendous blessings on the church. We see it particularly at the time of the Reformation where people like Luther, Calvin and particularly Knox had a care and concern for ensuring that the children of our nation became familiar with the Word of God and His requirements of us. Because of this Godly vision of Knox’s, Scotland as a nation two centuries ago became known as the land of the Bible and prospered materially with its academic excellence. But as in Biblical times we see today a great dearth in Godliness in our land and we can trace this decline to the handing over of our church schools to the state.

From that point, our children have never had the opportunity for a Bible-based education, but has been educated in an increasingly Humanistic way. God has warned us and given us numerous examples of this principle both in the Scriptures and in our own history as a church. To know the blessing and prospering of the cause of Christ in this nation again we as Christians must return to Bible-based teaching of our children.

UNGODLY IMPLICATIONS

The implications of neglecting a holistic Christ-centred and Biblically grounded education are enormous. Since the handing over of our children to the state for their education, it is also noticeable that church membership has declined dramatically.

Humanistic thinking regards all aspects of our lives have dominated; culminating at the close of this century with record numbers of killings of the unborn; the likelihood of legislation in favour of killing the old and infirm, sodomites in Government; and indiscipline and violence on a scale not known for generations.

Christian education is a foundational principle that underpins the future of the Church and the well-being of our society. Conversely the giving-over of this responsibility to others has an equally adverse affect on society and the home.

PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

The responsibility for diligence in the teaching of our children is not the Church, ministers, elders or Sabbath-school teachers - it is parents. Ephesians 6: 4 warns fathers not to provoke their children to wrath. What does this mean? It is not talking about exacerbating our children, as is commonly interpreted. This meaning takes much of the force away from the whole concept of teaching and the consequences of being a diligent parent in this respect.

When a parent provokes their children to wrath, it would involve a parent not being diligent in teaching the child about the things of God - failing to warn them to flee the wrath to come. To fail to do this your child might well turn out to be one of the children of wrath. A parent who is not diligent in his nurturing and admonishing in the Lord his children, might be storing up wrath for that self same child whom he claims he loves.

The Scriptures instruct and command parents to have the responsibility of teaching their children. Parents need to know and be assured that God has given them this responsibility and the necessary gifts to be parents to their children and to know that the ‘gifts and calling of God are without repentance’ . (Rom 11: 29).

“LO, CHILDREN ARE AN HERITAGE OF THE LORD: AND THE FRUIT OF THE WOMB” (Ps 127: 3)

Churches who do not encourage Parental responsibilities towards their children are equally as guilty of affronting the God-ordained structures and relationships within society as any feminist, sodomite or murderer of the unborn child. The family is a God-given institution, parenthood is a God-given gift and the teaching of their children is God-given requirement whether in a Homeschool situation or on behalf of parents - acting according to the wishes of the parents - in a Christian school. It is our duty as Christian parents to honour God by once again being diligent over the ‘heritage’ of our God.

In our modern society not only is there often less support from the wider family due to families moving around much more frequently as in the past. But there is also less support for mothers or parents from the church itself. We find that instead of women following their Biblical roles, older, experienced women are following their careers. The result is isolation and depression for many Christian mothers struggling to cope on their own.

“THAT THEY MAY TEACH THE YOUNG WOMEN TO BE SOBER, TO LOVE THEIR HUSBANDS, TO LOVE THEIR CHILDREN” (Tit at: 3-5)

We see them losing confidence as mothers or parents, and looking forward to the time when the state can relieve them of their responsibilities either through nursery schools, day-schools or even as they get older, homework clubs and youth clubs. And we notice them then looking to the day when they too can either pick up their career again or find some other job outside the home.

The Psalmist we reads tells us that children are the heritage of the LORD and his reward, - many parents must sometimes wonder how this can be. But they are!

A PARENT'S TESTIMONY

Those Christian parents who do either Homeschool or send their children to Christian schools will give testimony of how there is much blessing in being diligent in the teaching of their children in ways that try to conform to the Word of God. They will speak of the new and closer relationships they have with their children. They might mention the tremendous fulfilment they themselves come to know through being able to teach their children simply to read and write. Or the assurance they know from following a Godly, Christ-centred and Biblically based curriculum with their children. Even the new confidence and self-esteem parents (particularly mothers) develop from putting into practice this gift and God-given responsibility of bringing up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE LORD

The testimony of parents who do attempt - however inadequately - to keep God's command to be diligent in their parenthood, can speak of better relationships fulfilment, assurance and confidence. But there is a far more certain or ‘sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts’. (2:Pet 1: 19-21). That is particularly the testimony of the Word of the Living God and of Jesus Christ our Lord. Look to the Word of God and there we will find the words of eternal life.

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