Christian parents confused, Christian children abused

The Old Testament's commandments about parenting are tremendously tough. Unfortunately, many Christians have felt they must follow those commandments.

Consider carefully now: 

The New Testament has a general principle of going beyond the OT, just as the New Covenant goes beyond the Old Covenant, and in parenting this appears again to be the case.

"And, ye parents, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4, AKJV modified)

"Parents, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged." (Colossians 3:21, AKJV modified).

Christ was gentle toward children and prioritized them highest. He did not teach through violence. He did not beat the disciples and apostles, for example. 

God Himself -- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- chastize forcefully, according to the Holy Bible and corresponding experience. Let God take such actions, while Christian parents heed the direct and explicit warnings to them: Do not infuriate your children, do not provoke your children.

Christians ought to be spending enough time to understand what those two parental commandments to them actually mean. Even a few moments' reflection indicate that what God's Word in the New Testament is saying for parenting in the New Covenant through Christ, is almost completely different from the parenting that is "standard", "normal", "usual", etc. 

Consider that as a parent, you are commanded not to infuriate or provoke your child. This means that tremendous love is needed, to sympathize with one's child, to work out solutions for conflict situations that 100% respect the child's heart. 

(Here we see again the reason to baptize children into Christ at the first possible instance: setting them free from sin-slavery, teaching them faith in God, and enabling them to be filled with the Holy Spirit.)

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, AKJV)

"But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple." (Matthew 12:6, AKJV)

"But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6, AKJV) 

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!" (Matthew 18:6-7, NKJV)

"But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, 'Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.'" (Mark 10:14, AKJV)

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AKJV: KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.
NKJV: Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

"The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom"

The New Testament as well as the Old Testament describe how God acts to judge and to chastize (to correct). For example, there is a list of some 25 different ways to observe God's wrath to be found in Romans 1. The Holy Bible also describes many times that illness is often the result of sin: for example, James 5 says that a person who is ill should confess their sins.

Consider: How much sin would not be committed, if people understood that God acts with tremendous and fearful force against unrighteousness and ungodliness?

Why don't people consider the evidence of God's judgement? 

Now, there is also evidence of God's blessing: the righteousness that comes to a person through faith in Christ.

All this evidence needs the highest level of attention: personal contemplation and discussion among Christians.

What happens when theologians convince people that God doesn't judge sin?

As a theologian, I am afraid of what judgement I will face, and am already facing, from God, when I do not explain clearly that the New Testament warns repeatedly that God continues to be a judge, a perfectly just judge who judges sin. 

Don't believe theologians who misunderstand the Bible, and tell you that sin is not judged. 

Listen instead to the New Testament. Listen instead to the Lord Jesus:

"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." (Revelation 22:12)

Listen to the apostle Peter:

"And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear." (1 Peter 1:17)

Listen to the apostle Paul:

"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in goodness: otherwise you also shalt be cut off." (Romans 11:22)

Listen to the apostle John:

"Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:7-8, NRSV)

Listen to the apostle James:

"Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. No one, when tempted, should say, 'I am being tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my beloved." (James 1:12-16, NRSV)

Listen to the apostle Jude: 

"Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain intruders have stolen in among you, people who long ago were designated for this condemnation as ungodly, who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." (Jude 3-4, NRSV)


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Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Christ's promise and Christians' endurance

Keep the word of Christ and His apostles who wrote the New Testament. 

That is the task for every Christian. 

"Amen, amen, I say to you: if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death." (John 8:51)

"If they kept My word, they will keep yours also." (John 15:20)

Christians must therefore hear the entire New Testament and commit their hearts to keeping the word that they hear there. This is a task that requires effort, even endurance. 

Why endurance? It's not because the New Testament is a very long text. Rather, there are many temptations to fail at keeping the word of Christ and His New Testament apostles.

For example:
(1) Bad translations of the New Testament, which create contradictions between different parts of the text.

(2) Bad summaries of the New Testament, which may leave out parts of the text or even misrepresent the entire text!

(3) Bad traditions among Christians, which mislead people away from keeping the word of Christ and His New Testament apostles. 

These temptations must be endured.

"Blessed is a man who endures temptation, because having become approved, he will receive the crown of life that He promised to those loving Him." (James 1:12)