Child Training

Training Children

Bill Brinkworth

The most important responsibility a parent will ever have is not paying bills, getting a new house, or moving up the corporate ladder in a job. It is rearing properly the children God has allowed them to have. If you are a Christian, your children are your main ministry!
“Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” Psalm 127:3

God knows best how children should be reared. After all, God has reared billions of children. Our heavenly Father does know better than child psychologists, child welfare workers, day-care providers, and teachers.

The Bible has much to say about how a child should be reared. Here is some of God’s advice on rearing children:

Children should be trained. Nowhere in the scriptures is the responsibility of training children given to anyone but the parents. Others can assist, but it is the parents that are responsible for the child’s training.
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Children should obey their parents! Those assisting in the education of other people’s children should remember this and never encourage a child to disobey or question their parents’ authority.

“Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.” Proverbs 4:1
“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” Exodus 20:12
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Ephesians 6:1

Children should not intentionally be provoked to anger. Although little Seymour may get mad when he is asked to do something, it should not be the parents intent to purposely offend or make him angry.

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: …” Ephesians 6:4
“Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” Colossians 3:21

Children should be educated by reading and feeding on the Word of God and taught to follow its instructions. The thinking that, “I will not force religion down my child’s throat. He can make his own decision about ‘religion’”, is not biblical. If that is how the parent feels, then how is it they do not leave it to the child to decide whether they go to school or not?

“… but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” Psalm 119:9

Children can be saved at a young age.

“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” II Timothy 3:15

Children should be disciplined and corrected.

“Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.” Proverbs 19:18 The longer discipline is put off, the more bent a child will be to do his own will.
“ Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Proverbs 22:15
Disciplining a child is hard work that takes much patience. For this reason many children are not disciplined. Another reason a child is not disciplined is that he is not loved.
“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” Proverb 13:24
“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” Proverb 29:17

Children that are undisciplined will bring dishonor and havoc to themselves and their parents.

“The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame...” Proverbs 29:15

“Nothing drives people to prayer like parenting.”

This lesson was featured in The Bible View #164.