Biblical Manhood - Raising Children Part 4

Last time we discussed what it means to nurture our children. The next description used in Ephesians 6:4 is “admonition.” We are to bring up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This means to “put in mind.” This is training by teaching whereas nurture is more training by discipline.

There is another English word, remonstrate, which means to protest or demonstrate opposition to. This is not the same thing as admonish. Too many parents remonstrate when they should be admonishing.

Lookk at the example of Eli in 1 Samuel 2:23-25. Eli remonstrated his sons, but that didn’t work. Look at God’s assessment in 1 Samuel 3:13. God judges Eli for not restraining his sons. He had spoken to them, but that did not accomplish the goal. God expected more from Eli than that.

1 Corinthians 10:11 tells us that Scripture was given for our admonition and there for the teaching we give our children must rely heavily on Scripture and scriptural principles.

Consider Deuteronomy 6:6. God’s Word should first of all be in our own hearts. And then we are to teach it diligently to our children. Conversations involving the word are to take place all the time. Reminders should be everywhere. In the process of training our children, we need to listen to them. Not listening is one of the chief ways of provoking your children to wrath which is what our Scripture passage warns against. Dads find it hard to listen, but we must make the effort.