If you’re a Christian parent, no doubt—no doubt—you’ve come face to face with the limits of your knowledge and experience. At whatever stage of life—witnessing the birth of your firstborn; seeing your child’s capacity for destruction in the terrible twos (or threes); preparing your kids for the first day of school; helping your teenager struggle through an awkward and confusing stage of life; or advising your son or daughter about marriage—it has a sobering effect on you, doesn’t it?
Perhaps you’ve looked at Ephesians 6:4 and thought, “That’s it? One verse?”, and looked elsewhere for help—family, friends, the internet, the church. Ever thought of looking in the Old Testament? Paul told us in 1 Corinthians 10:6 and 11 that God has given us examples from the Old Testament for our instruction. Modern man may scorn the wisdom of a 3,000-year-old book, but what’s recorded there illustrates parenting at its best, and worst. Today, John MacArthur takes us to the very heart of it all.
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Just to summarize what John said, here are the principles he lifted out of Deuteronomy 6:
(1) Teach your children about the one, true God
(2) Teach them to love God
(3) Teach them to obey God
(4) Teach them to follow your example
(5) Teach them to be wary of the world around them
With those points in mind, think about your own parenting situation, consider these questions, and feel free to discuss or ask questions in the comment thread:
(1) What example are you setting for your children regarding your time in God’s Word, internet habits, entertainment choices? How much time do you devote to the worship of God in your home?
(2) Are you consistent in teaching these principles to your children? How does your lifestyle support or contradict your instruction?
(3) What role should your local church and its leadership play in the parenting task?
