Bringing Up Children Part 3

H. Here is a list of things that need to be trained into children. 1. Train the fear of God. ECC 12:13; HEB 12:28-29. a. The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. PRO 1:7; 9:10. b. The fear of God is to hate evil. PRO 8:13. c. The fear of God should be greater than the fear of anything else. ISA 8:13; LUK 12:4-5; EXO 1:17. d. Teach them the omniscience and justice of God, that nothing escapes His sight and there will be an exposure and judgment in due time. 1TI 5:24-25; HEB 4:12-13; 1CO 4:5. e. Teach them of accountability to God and judgment to come, that this world and life are not the end of the story. MAT 12:36; ACT 17:30-31; MAT 25:31-46. f. Prepare them to meet God. 1JO 2:28. g. The fear of God promotes right priorities: God, Others, Self. h. The fear of God is the chief reason for doing right since the most important question is “What will God think of or do to me if I do wrong?” i. The fear of God yields benefits now. PRO 22:4. 2. Train the supreme priority of God and His righteousness. MAT 6:33. a. Show and teach them that what is best for man’s soul should rule over other concerns. HEB 11:24-26 c/w 2PE 2:6-8. b. Godliness never really loses. 1TI 4:7-9. c. Life is more than possessions. LUK 12:15. 3. Train the value of reading over viewing, especially the reading of Scripture. 2TI 3:16-17. Bringing Up Children 12-25-22 Page 6  a. Reading demands knowledge of words and grammar. Viewing demands little input or processing and triggers the dopamine effect without rational thought. b. Good books expand knowledge and imagination: you form the images in your mind that are described in the text rather than let someone else’s images rule your thoughts. 4. Train the worship of God. JOH 4:23-24. a. By your own fear of God and devotion to Him, train your child that the awesome Creator and Judge of the universe is to be publicly praised regardless of trouble. ACT 17:25. b. Show and teach your child that church worship is necessary, highly prioritized and an introduction to eternity. PSA 78:4; 84:10; 122:1; EPH 3:21. c. Don’t expect your child to highly value God’s house if you play fast and loose with your devotion and duty to it. 5. Train obedience and submission to legitimate authority. EPH 6:1-3; ROM 13:1-2. a. Show them and teach them to not revile rulers, starting with you. EXO 21:17; 22:28; ACT 23:5; 2PE 2:10. b. Show them and teach them that church officers are legitimate authorities. HEB 13:17. 6. Train the value of labor and merit against idleness and handouts. PRO 19:15; ECC 2:24; 3:22; GAL 6:4; 2TH 3:10-12. a. Life is not all rest and play and work comes first. HEB 4:4; JOH 9:4. b. “Feats before treats. Chores before stores.” 7. Train wisdom. They must learn to apply knowledge and understanding. PRO 4:7-8. a. There is a world of information but an island of wisdom and this is discernment. PRO 14:15; 15:2, 14; ECC 7:11-12; 10:10. b. The greatest wisdom is not found in Solomon or Aristotle but Jesus Christ. EPH 5:14-17; COL 2:3. 8. Train selflessness, that they are not the center of life. 2TI 3:2; ACT 20:35; GAL 6:3. 9. Train humility and thankfulness, not pride. 1PE 5:5-6; EPH 5:18. 10. Train self-motivation, that they should be diligent and dutiful without oversight. PRO 6:6-8; PHIL 2:12. 11. Train independence, that they should not follow the herd of swine off the cliff, and that they should plow their own field. ROM 12:2; 1CO 15:33; GEN 2:24; PRO 29:25. 12. Train enthusiasm, to live godly with great zeal and spirit. ECC 9:10; ROM 12:11; COL 3:23-24; GAL 4:18. 13. Train discipline, that they should learn the value of denying themselves and pushing on in spite of weariness. 1CO 9:24-27; TIT 2:12; 2SAM 23:9-10; JDG 8:4. 14. Train honesty, that they learn the value of a good name and to own up to fault rather than resort to hiding, blame-shifting, counter-accusing, false expediency, etc. PRO 12:22; 22:1; ROM 12:17 ct/w GEN 3:12; 1SAM 15:21-24. 15. Train patience, that they learn that rewards and goals should be “learned and earned” and immediate gratification is not to be expected in everything. PSA 37:7; ECC 7:8; PRO 20:21; ROM 2:7; 1PE 2:20. 16. Train friendliness, that they learn to relate well to others and choose good companions. PRO 18:24; 27:10, 17; PSA 119:63; 1CO 15:33. 17. Train orderliness, that there is a time and place for everything and orderliness saves time. 1CO 14:40; EPH 5:16. 18. Train resilience, that they do what is right in spite of uncertainty. ECC 9:11. 19. Train courage and positivity, especially in doing right. HEB 13:6; PHIL 4:13. Bringing Up Children 12-25-22 Page 7