What Does The Bible Say About Parents?

Raising children can be one of life’s greatest blessings and challenges. As Christian parents, we want to follow Biblical principles to guide us in this important responsibility. If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: The Bible encourages parents to raise children in the training and instruction of the Lord with love, wisdom, and self-sacrifice while also not provoking them to anger.

In this comprehensive article, we will explore several key Bible passages about parenting and extract principles that are still very relevant for parents today.

The Responsibility of Parents to Raise Godly Children

Train Children in the Lord’s Ways

The Bible encourages parents to “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). This involves teaching children God’s ways from an early age by regularly reading the Bible together, praying together, and bringing them to church.

Statistics show that

85%	of children raised in religious homes

continue in the faith as adults. What an incredible responsibility and privilege for parents!

Teach Children God’s Word

Moses commanded the Israelites: “These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Parents should strive to ingrain Scripture in children from toddlerhood.

This can happen through preschool Bible lessons, family devotions, memorizing verses together, and weaving God’s truth into everyday conversations. Imagine the spiritual foundation built in little ones when God’s Word saturates their hearts and homes!

Model Godliness and Integrity

More than anything else, children need to see Jesus shining through their parents’ lives. They should witness mom and dad reading the Bible, speaking honestly, keeping promises, asking forgiveness, loving others, and relying on God in all circumstances.

The old adage rings true: “More is caught than taught.” Parents must remember that their example – not just their words – powerfully influences their children’s spiritual development. As Dr. James Dobson quips, “It’s easier to raise strong children than to repair broken men.”

Showing Unconditional Love and Self-Sacrifice

The Bible has a lot to say about the importance of parents showing unconditional love and self-sacrifice for their children. Here are some of the key points:

Loving Children Sacrificially

The Bible encourages parents to love their children in the same self-sacrificial way that God loves us and Jesus demonstrated through his life and death on the cross (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). This kind of radical, unconditional love should be the foundation for all parenting.

Some examples of self-sacrificial love include:

• Putting a child’s needs and best interests first, ahead of one’s own desires and comforts
• Patiently bearing through difficulties and trials for the sake of the children
• Making personal and financial sacrifices to provide and care for children
• Being willing to lay down one’s life to protect a child from harm

Modeled After God’s Love

The Bible teaches that the family structure is intended to model the relationship between God and human beings. Parents represent God in a child’s life by loving, nurturing, correcting, and making sacrifices (Ephesians 5:1).

Children are to honor and respect their parents just as believers honor and revere God (Exodus 20:12).

So parental love is really a reflection of God’s perfect love. It involves patiently enduring hardship, bearing all things, believing all things, and hoping all things when it comes to our children (1 Corinthians 13:7). This kind of love never fails.

Requires Wisdom and Discernment

However, the Bible also gives plenty of exhortations about wisely disciplining and training children in righteousness (Proverbs 22:6). Parental love is not a passive “anything goes” kind of love. It requires discernment to know when to be patient and forgiving versus when consequences and correction are needed to teach kids right from wrong.

So while unconditional sacrificial love is the foundation, parents also need God’s wisdom and discernment to carry out the incredibly important responsibility of raising children to know and follow him.

Administering Loving Discipline and Correction

The Rod of Discipline

The Bible teaches that parents should lovingly discipline and correct their children. Proverbs 13:24 says, “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” This verse shows that administering appropriate discipline is an act of love.

The “rod” here represents parental authority and discipline, not necessarily a physical instrument. Loving parents set boundaries and uphold consequences to teach their children wisdom and self-control.

Discipline should be administered in a spirit of restoration, not out of anger or frustration. Ephesians 6:4 warns fathers against “exasperating” or embittering their children through overly harsh discipline. Parents must balance grace and truth when correcting their kids.

The goal should be shaping the heart, not merely controlling outward behavior.

A Heart of Restoration

When disciplining their children, godly parents should have a heart of restoration. Galatians 6:1 says, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.”

Parents should gently confront sin in their kids’ lives, calling them to repentance and forgiveness.

After administering discipline, wise parents comfort their children and affirm their love. Parents should make it clear that consequences flow from the sin, not from lack of love. God Himself disciplines His children because He loves them (Hebrews 12:6).

His correction leads to a “harvest of righteousness and peace” as we are trained by it (Hebrews 12:11). So too, godly discipline bears good fruit when applied in love.

Some helpful practices include talking through the situation, praying together, asking forgiveness, and reconciling in humility. Parents should be quick to extend grace while holding their children accountable. Even when consequences are needed, parents can make it clear their love is unconditional.

Withears and patience, they can use discipline to nurture their children’s faith and character.

Not Provoking Your Children

Avoid Harshness

The Bible teaches parents to raise children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). This does not mean harsh, overbearing, or domineering parenting. Rather, parents should be careful to not embitter or provoke their children to anger (Colossians 3:21).

Here are some tips for parents to avoid being harsh with their kids:

• Control your anger. Take deep breaths and pray when feeling overwhelmed. React calmly instead of yelling or punishing in anger (Proverbs 14:17).
• Be patient and compassionate. Children will make mistakes as they learn. Offer grace and gentle correction instead of hurtful words (Colossians 3:12).
• Avoid comparisons. Appreciate children’s unique talents instead of measuring them against siblings or friends. This builds them up rather than tearing them down (2 Corinthians 10:12).
• Give them a voice. Listen to their perspective with empathy. Don’t dismiss their thoughts and feelings (Proverbs 18:13).
• Choose your words carefully. Speak life through positive words that convey love and acceptance (Ephesians 4:29).

Seasoning discipline with patience, compassion, and careful words prevents parents from being harsh taskmasters. Children thrive when they feel loved, valued, and respected by mom and dad.

Be Reasonable in Demands

The Bible exhorts parents not to exasperate their children by placing extreme, unreasonable demands on them (Colossians 3:21). Parents should take care to require only what is wise and appropriate for each child’s stage of development. Here are some tips for keeping parental requirements reasonable:

• Consider their maturity level. Don’t expect more than they are capable of handling at their age.
• Focus on heart issues rather than behavior. Allow grace for accidents while addressing intentional disobedience.
• Give them some choices. Guide them but also let them make some decisions to build responsibility.
• Don’t overschedule. Leave adequate time for rest and play to avoid burnout.
• Adjust the rules sometimes. Reassess guidelines as kids grow older and can handle more freedom.
• Don’t demand perfection. Encourage progress over perfectionism. Love them unconditionally (Romans 3:23).

Lovingly training children requires discerning what is appropriate for each one individually. The goal is to bring them to maturity, not crush their spirits with relentless demands (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8). Reasonable requirements help kids blossom.

Key Bible Verses on Parenting

The Bible has a lot to say about parenting. Here are some key verses that provide wisdom and guidance for mothers and fathers:

Proverbs 22:6

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” This well-known verse encourages parents to instruct their children in God’s ways from an early age.

Ephesians 6:4

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Fathers specifically, but parents generally, should be careful not to exasperate their children, but rather train them patiently in Christian values.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” God tells parents to make instruction in His ways a natural, regular part of everyday life.

Proverbs 29:17

“Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.” Wise and loving discipline leads to good behavior from children in the long run.

Colossians 3:21

“Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” Again parents, especially fathers here, are reminded not to be overly harsh and demanding in ways that dishearten their children.

Conclusion

In closing, while the Bible sets a high standard for parenting, God promises to give wisdom and strength to those who seek Him. Relying on God’s grace and following these Biblical principles for parents will lead to blessing and growth for both us and our children.