FATHERS IN CHILD REARING

By Charles N. Spence, Jr.

“Fathers do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4).

God has determined that fathers would play a significant role in the rearing of their children. Paul addresses fathers in Ephesians 6:4. They are to bring their children up in God’s training. The word translated “training” literally means “instruction which includes discipline.” Proverbs 23:13-14 says, “Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod and deliver his soul from hell.” This is not to say, however, that one can physically abuse his children (Pro. 13:24).

“Admonition” is a training by word. It means “to put into mind the things that are wrong; to warn.” Fathers are to provide the kind of training that God has stated in His word. In this, fathers will contribute the kind of balance necessary to ensure the sanctity of the family.

When fathers fail to rear their children in God’s way, when they are AWOL, and when they are abusive, they provoke their children to wrath. The wrath mentioned here is the wrath of God. Fathers who fail to take an active role in the lives of their children by training and disciplining them are actually driving their children toward a life of sin and hurt. Broken homes in which the fathers are absent are often filled with children who are problems for society. They are involved in sex, drugs, alcohol, crime and often have broken homes themselves. If they continue on that path, their lives will be short lived and the wrath of God will be visited upon them.

Yet, those fathers who would be so derelict in their God given roles will not escape God’s wrath themselves (James 4:17). Too many fathers are not seizing the opportunity to do good for their children, their homes, their communities, the kingdom of Christ, not to mention themselves. They cannot begin to bring their children up in the Lord’s way until they are in the Lord’s way themselves.

Fathers, the cause of Christ is at stake. The future of our local churches are a matter of concern. The preservation of our homes and society hangs in the balances. All these things suffer when fathers fail to do their jobs. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 19:14, “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Fathers, get our of your children’s way of heaven by simply being the kind of father that God intended for you to be.