Parent Child Relationships

Love Results in Discipline and Obedience

Believers are Children of God

Prov 14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

The person who fears the Lord can be confident that the Lord loves him and that the Lord will always be faithful to care for him as a loving father cares for his child.

John 1:11-13 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ has been born again, is a new creation, and is a child of God.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

We must become true children of God if we are to enter into the kingdom of God.

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

The person who truly believes in Jesus Christ has the witness of the Holy Spirit within himself, telling him that he truly is a child of God.

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

All who have faith in Jesus Christ are children of God.

I Jn 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Our faith in Jesus Christ gives us the power to overcome the world, to obey God, to be pleasing to God, and to be true children of God.

God Disciplines His Children

Prov 3:11-12 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

God loves us and because we are His children He disciplines us for our good. We should always remember that discipline from God is a sure sign of His love for us. We must never resist His discipline.

Heb 12:6-11 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Because we are children of God we can be sure that He will always be faithful to discipline us, to teach us to be pleasing to Himself. If a person does not experience discipline from God it is because that person is not a child of God. God is all wise and He never makes a mistake when He disciplines us, for our good.

Children Instructed To Obey Parents

Deut 5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

God commands children to honor their parents and He also promises to reward the obedient child with a long and fulfilled life. A child never grows so old that he should stop honoring his parents.

Eph 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

The child who believes and obeys God’s word will obey and honor his parents; and as a result, he will be rewarded with a long and successful life.

Col 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

The child who wants to be pleasing to God will obey his parents in all things.

Prov 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Children should always pay attention to the instruction of their father and mother.

Fathers Love and Discipline Children

Prov 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

The father who loves his child disciplines his child, diligently. The lack of discipline does great harm to a child, throughout his life. A child without parental discipline will become an adult without self discipline.

Prov 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Children need correction, and the faithful parent will do whatever is necessary to correct his child.

Prov 23:13-14 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Proper discipline does not harm a child, but the lack of discipline does great harm. The lack of discipline will result in an undisciplined and uncontrolled spirit within a person.

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

Wisdom is taught through discipline, a child without discipline will not learn wisdom. The child who does not receive discipline will be a disappointment to his parents, and he may even bring shame to them.

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

The wise father does not threaten his child, but he uses firm and consistent discipline. Not only is it necessary to discipline a child, but it is necessary to teach the child about the Lord, to bring the child up according to the word of God.

Prov 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

It is the father’s responsibility to train a child in the way he should go. The way a child should go is according to the word of God. The word of God is our guide book for life, both in childhood and adulthood.

The Wise Son Obeys His Father

Prov 13:1 A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

The wise son listens to the advise of his father. Once a son becomes of age he is free to go and to do as he wishes, but if he is wise he will continue to consider the teaching and advise of his father.

Prov 23:22-26 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice. My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

The faithful father will observe his own ways in his children. Our values and our beliefs can only be passed on by instruction and discipline.

Daughters Submit To Their Father

1 Cor 7:36-38 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

The man who wishes to give his virgin daughter in marriage is free to do so, but if he desires to keep his daughter as a virgin he does better. The reason the father gives his daughter in marriage is because he is responsible for her care until she marries, and when he gives his daughter in marriage, he gives that responsibility to the man she marries. Once a daughter marries, she is no longer under the authority of her father; she is under the authority of her husband, she is no longer required to submit to her father, but to her husband.

All Scripture taken from King James Bible