8 Biblical Principles on Raising Your Kids

8 Biblical Principles on Raising Your Kids

Listen friend. This world is full of sins, temptations, and evil forces that we can’t control, but we can control what we teach our kids. As parents, it is our job to diligently teach our children.

When it comes to standing against the enemy, we have to make sure our kids have a strong foundation to stand on. Without a backbone, we can’t walk, and without the backbone of Christ, our children can’t stand up to the world around them.

Here are 8 Biblical principles on raising your kids in a world full of evil.

1) Start Teaching them as a Baby: Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” God calls us to teach our children of His ways from the beginning so it is instilled in their heart.

2) Teach your children to Honor you: Honoring your parents is the first of all the commandments. Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” If we want our children to honor, the Father in heaven, they must first understand what it means to honor their Earthly parents. This doesn’t mean your children have to like what you say, but they need to respect your decisions in action and thought.

3) Discipline your Children: Proverbs 13:24 “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” God calls us to discipline our children, so they will understand consequences of their choices. It is much better to discipline your child when they run into the street than to allow them to die from a car hitting them. Children need consistency, boundaries, and discipline in love.

4) Do Not Provoke your Children to Anger: Disciplining in love is teaching, but disciplining in anger causes not only you to stumble but your child as well. Ephesians 6:4 says, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” There are several ways parents provoke their children to anger without realizing it:

• Withdrawing Love: In order to show Christ’s love, we must show our children unconditional love even in their sin.
• Being Selfish: When we have children, we are making the choice to sacrifice our wants for our child’s needs. When our wants come before our child, we provoke them to wrath.
• Verbal and Physical Abuse: Words hurt just as much as a fist to the face. When you go too far or begin to call your child names, you are not disciplining in love.
• Favoring one Child More: All people are different and we may be able to relate to one child more than another, but showing favoritism through your words and action, comparing one child to another, or degrading one child over the other is going to cause resentment and wrath.

5) Being Overprotective: This is a tough one. We love our children so much that we want to protect them from everything, but not allowing them to do anything will build a barrier between you and your children.

6) Be Consistent in Love and Discipline: We are to show Christ to our children and in doing that; we must represent Christ in our actions. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Being consistent develops trust and confidence in your children. How can they understand trust for God if they can’t have trust with you?

7) Be a Role Model for your Children: Your children will not do what you tell them to do; they will do what they see YOU doing. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children.” Teach your children morals, values, and good character through your character.

8) Keep your Children Accountable to their Own Actions: Sometimes, life consequences are worse than any punishment you could give to your child. They have to understand that they need to be in control of their own emotions and actions. The actions of others cannot dictate how they respond. Proverbs 25:28 “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.”

As you build your foundation with your children, keep the lines of communication open. Never claim to be a perfect person; share your faults, your sins, and how you are changing to be better for the Lord. Ask forgiveness and learn to apologize, fully admitting that you are a sinner too and need Jesus. Your children will learn through you, so be the person you want them to be.

I often tell my kids that I yearn to hear, “well done, thy good and faithful servant.” They laugh and say “whatever mama” but I absolutely want to do the best I can in the short time He allows me with these precious children. I also want to “run the good race” and “obtain the prize which is in Christ Jesus” and in doing so I hope to stand before my heavenly father and tell Him that I did my utmost to raise these children “in the fear and admonition of the Lord”.

Parenting is hard. But with our Lord as our perfect guide, we too can instill these important principles as we raise our children.

In His Grace,

Callie