The Bible, especially Proverbs, has a lot to say to us about parenting. We’ll talk about that subject today. We’ll also talk about whether or not we can question God and, from the New Testament, we’ll look at the church disciple process.
Can the sins of parents determine the spiritual future of their children?
Some Christians talk about “generational sin” as though children can somehow inherit the spiritual guilt of previous generations.
Others go almost to the opposite extreme and believe that if parents follow the right biblical formula, their children are virtually guaranteed to become faithful Christians.
But what does Scripture actually say?
Ezekiel 18 gives us a striking picture of a wicked father with a righteous son—and a righteous father with a wicked son.
Why?
And what does that tell us about responsibility before God?
It also raises important questions for parents.
How much influence do we have?
What are we responsible to do?
And at what point must we entrust the outcome to God?
Today we’ll look at personal accountability, parental influence, so-called generational sin, and the hope Scripture gives both to parents and to those who came from difficult or ungodly homes.
Why are so many children angry?
We see it in stores, schools, families, and sometimes in our own homes.
Of course, children are responsible for their own choices. Even the best parenting cannot guarantee that a child will respond rightly.
But Ephesians 6 gives parents a sobering warning:
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath.”
Which raises an uncomfortable question:
Could we be provoking our children without even realizing it?
Sometimes the problem isn’t the rules themselves. It may be inconsistency, hypocrisy, marital conflict, selfishness, or expecting one standard from our children while living by another ourselves.
Children notice more than we think.
And Ephesians 6 doesn’t stop with parenting.
Paul moves from the home to the workplace and then to a battlefield, telling believers to “put on the whole armor of God.”
That can sound mysterious or even mystical.
But what does it actually mean?
How do you put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, or the helmet of salvation before you walk out the door tomorrow morning?
It may be much more practical than you think.
Recently we’ve talked about how to have peace in place of the anxiety and distress so many are facing today. We also looked at various kinds of legalism, including how it might look in our parenting, how some of our politicians are too much like one of Israel’s kings, the test of genuine faith and so much more.
A quick scan of the links below will show you the wide variety of subjects we’ve covered. There are links to the posts here on the website and to the YouTube version.
I hope you’ll check out a few.
Recently we’ve talked about how to have peace in place of the anxiety and distress so many are facing today. We also looked at various kinds of legalism, including how it might look in our parenting, how some of our politicians are too much like one of Israel’s kings, the test of genuine faith and so much more.
A quick scan of the links below will show you the wide variety of subjects we’ve covered. There are links to the posts here on the website and to the YouTube version.
I hope you’ll check out a few.
One of the most concise Biblical instructions for parents appears in the book of Ephesians where it says, “… do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Some of the ways we provoke our children to anger are obvious, but others may be less so. Could you be provoking your children to anger in ways you haven’t realized?
We are in a series called “Rock Your Faith.” The principle in this week’s post, Personal Accountability & Snowplow Parents” is at the heart of our ability to grow and change. Without it, our growth will be stunted at best. It’s something with which most of us struggle. It affects our relationships with God, with others, and our ability to parent well. Yet, much of what has been written about it is far from helpful.
Many people consider parenting to be the mother’s job and, even if they believe both parents need to be involved, mom often ends up with most of the responsibility. But parenting isn’t a one-person job. God intended for moms and dads to parent as a team.
One of the most important skills in overcoming anger and building good relationships is learning how to communicate in a loving, God-honoring way. Ephesians 4 contains some of the clearest passages on the subject of communication. The principles can be summed up in 4 easy to understand “rules” that you can apply and teach your children.
Today we’ll discuss how to help your children and step-children adjust to blended family life and some of the issues that may need to be addressed.
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