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Title: Children, Part Three: Setting the Tone
Intro:
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger”
Note the instruction is to father’s specifically, not parents. Any ideas why?
PB’s answer: Paul is reminding those in authority they are the household tone setter. How they handle their children is how their children will respond, not only with parents, but peers and even other adults.
(A child who is rude and disrespectful to their own parents will be even worse with peers and other authority figures.)
The Greek word for provoke/exasperate is “parorgizō” (par-org-id’-zo) and it is only used twice in the NT, both by Paul, here is the other use:
Romans 10:19
But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
In what ways might a Father provoke their children to anger? (What might this look like?)
- Over use of Sarcasm (I struggle with this greatly. Humor is my self defense and sarcasm is my favorite humor.)
- Over use of Criticism instead of Encouragement (Pointing out errors instead of modeling/demonstrating correct behavior.)
- A lack of parental humility (If you never admit your faults because “you’re the boss”, if you do not apologize to your children when you wrong, your children will lose respect for you, and their anger with your hypocrisy will grow.)
- Others?
What does it mean to “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”?
Packer
“bring them up”
“The Greek suggests the idea of nurturing and helping to flourish. (see 5:29) Parents are entrusted with the minds, feelings, and bodies of the tender bearers of the divine image. Accordingly, children do not exist for parents, but parents for children-to help them come into their own personhood before God.”
Training is “the shaping of the will through discipline” (As a parent I’m going to show you how to put to death the old self, and live in Christ.)
Admonition is “the shaping of the mind through teaching” (As a parent, I’m going to show you what this “much better way looks like in day to day life.”)
How do we REALLY know if we’ve raised our children well?
- They begin to make wise decisions when we’re not there.
- We see their hearts guiding their decisions, not just the expectations of their parents.
- They understand the basis of our correction to them is LOVE. (Love for Jesus’ teaching, love from us to THEM.)
- They inspire us.
- Long term: Our Children’s kids grow up in a God-fearing house.
- Others?
Pray/QA