Children need love, affection, discipline and guidance from their parents. This is shown through teaching, training, discipline, the meeting of material needs and the provision of a personal example of faith.
Teaching children
Deuteronomy 6:6–7 See also Exodus 10:2, Exodus 12:26–27, Exodus 13:14–15; Deuteronomy 4:9, Deuteronomy 6:20–21, Deuteronomy 11:19; Proverbs 1:8; Isaiah 38:19; Joel 1:3
These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Training children
Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4 See also Deuteronomy 31:12–13; Joshua 8:35; 2 Kings 12:2; Psalm 34:11, Psalm 78:5; Proverbs 3:1
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Disciplining children
Proverbs 13:24; Hebrews 12:7–11 See also Proverbs 19:18, Proverbs 22:15, Proverbs 23:13, Proverbs 29:15, Proverbs 29:17; 1 Timothy 3:4, 1 Timothy 3:12
He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live? Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.
Lack of discipline
Good examples set for children by parents
David: 1 Kings 9:4; 2 Chronicles 17:3; 2 Chronicles 26:4 Amaziah; 2 Timothy 1:5, 2 Timothy 3:15
Bad examples set for children by parents
Ahab and Jezebel: 1 Kings 22:52; 2 Chronicles 22:3; Jeremiah 9:14; Matthew 14:8 Herodias
Provision and care for children
Matthew 7:9–11 parallel Luke 11:11–13 See also 1 Samuel 2:19; Proverbs 31:15, Proverbs 31:21; 2 Corinthians 12:14
Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Love for children
Titus 2:4 See also Genesis 37:3 Jacob's special love for JosephGenesis 44:20, Genesis 44:29–31 2 Samuel 18:33 David's love for Absalom; Luke 15:20 the father's love for the prodigal son
In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children,
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.