I write this article to plead with Christian parents to demand the obedience of their children. It moves me to write this by observing young children who do not respond to their parents’ requests, without consequences. Parents tell a child two or three times that he or she sits down. or they stop and come and go, and after the third disobedience, they laugh bribing the child. This may or may not ensure the desired behavior.
Last week I saw two things that motivated this article, one was the murder of 13-year-old Andy Lopez in Santa Rosa, California, by police officers who thought he was about to shoot them with an assault rifle. Gun. What makes this relevant is that police said they twice asked the child to drop the gun, but instead of doing so, the boy pointed his gun at the police and they fired.
- I don’t know the details of this situation or if Andy heard the orders.
- So I can’t say for sure that he was an insubordinate.
- So my point here is not about young Lopez.
- This is one? What if he listened to the police and just defied what they told him?If that’s true.
- It cost him his life.
- This is the price of disobedience to the competent authority.
I witnessed a scenario like this on a plane last week and saw a mother prepare her son for a shot.
I was sitting behind her and her son, who was supposed to be seven years old, he was playing on his tablet. The flight attendant announced that all electronic devices should be turned off for takeoff, but did not hang up. The mother didn’t demand that he hang up. When the stewardess passed, he said the boy had to turn it off and kept walking, but he didn’t hang up. The mother didn’t demand that she do it.
Eventually, the stewardess stood next to them and told them that the child should deliver the plane to his mother and turned it off. When the stewardess left, the boy turned on the plane and left it on, the mother did nothing. I thought I was getting the police to shoot this kid.
I can understand the rebellion and laziness of non-believer parents. I have biblical categories about the behavior of those who are spiritually blind, but the negligence of Christian parents baffles me.
What is behind not demanding and receiving obedience?I’m not sure. However, these nine observations can help save some parents from the madness of parents’ laissez-faire. [1]
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, is that true?(Ep 6. 1). It makes no sense for God to require children to obey their parents, but it does not require parents to demand obedience from their children. It is part of our work to teach children the glory of a happy spirit and submit to the authorities that God Parents represent to God for young children, and it is mortal to teach children to ignore God’s commandments.
Obedience is not simply a category of “the law. “It’s an evangelical category. Paul said his purpose in the gospel was: obedience by faith?(Rom 1. 5). He said, “Why should I not dare speak of anything other than what Christ has done through me, to lead the Gentiles to obedience, in words and deeds?(Rom. 15: 18).
Was Paul’s goal to bring back every captive thought into Christ’s obedience?(2Co 10. 5). He demanded that the churches: “If someone does not obey our word given by this epistle, write it; nor is he associated with him, will he be ashamed?”(2Qs 3. 14).
Do parents who do not teach their children to obey God’s designated authorities prepare them for a life out of tune with the word of God?
(If anyone doubts the importance of this doctrine, read Wayne Grudem’s chapter: “Plaire God for Our Obedience: An Unattended New Testament Teaching?”, In For the Fame of God?S Name, edited by Justin Taylor and Sam Storms. ).
It is unfortunate to see parents act as if they are powerless in the presence of disobedient children. God requires children to obey because parents may require obedience. Young children under one year of age can be effectively educated about what they cannot touch, bite, pull, move, who cannot spit, or scream. You are taller than children. Use their size to conserve them for joy, not to condemn them to selfishness.
One of the reasons children become uncontrollable in public is that they have not been taught to obey at home; one of the reasons for this is that many things at home do not seem worthy of struggle; it’s easier to neglect them than to dedicate them. time and effort to deal with a child’s reluctance to do so. But simply train the children to make obedience anywhere optional. A constant requirement of obedience at home will help your children be affable in public.
If you tell a child to stay in bed and get up, is it easier said for him to stand up and face disobedience?Parents are tired. I sympathize with them. For more than 40 years I have had children under the age of 18. Demanding obedience requires strength, both physically and emotionally. It’s easier to let the kids do what they want.
The result? Uncontrollable children when obedience counts. They learned to handle the “sides”. Mom is helpless and Dad is irrelevant. They can tell when you are about to explode. So they question your words immediately after that, which bears bitter fruit for everyone. But the work that results from being immediately consistent in any disobedience bears good fruit. parents, children and others.
One of the reasons parents do not require discipline is that they have never been sanctioned; they come from households that had two modes of action: passivity and anger; they know they don’t want to be angry parents. the only alternative they know is passivity. There’s good news: this can change. Parents can learn from the Bible and from the wise what is possible, what is ordained, what is wise to do, and how to do it in a patient, firm, loving, gospel-based spirit.
Children must obey before they can understand obedience through faith. When faith is given, the obedience they have learned through fear, reward, and respect will become the natural expression of faith. Not demanding obedience before faith is crazy. It’s not long-term love. Making such a request cuts the deep roots of habits of disobedience, not to instill faith, but to emerge victorious.
The laissez-faire of parents [1] produces no graceful and humble children, producing bad behaviors. It’s no fun being with them, and they’re not happy themselves either, they’re demanding and insolent. Freedom is not a blessing to them or others. They’re free because a rudderless boat is free. They are victims of their whims. Sooner or later, these whims will be thwarted, it means misery. Or even a deadly encounter with the police.
Because parents represent God for children, especially before they knew God through faith in the gospel, we show them both justice and mercy. Disobedience is not punished. Some are observed, disapproved, and ignored; there is no specific manual for this combination; Children must learn from our fatherhood that the God of the gospel is devouring fire (Heb 12:7, 29) and that he is patient and late to be angry (1 Tim. . 1: 16). In both cases, discipline and patience, the goal is fast, happy, and complete obedience. This is what produces God’s knowledge of Christ.
Parents, you can do it. It’s a difficult phase. I have spent more than sixty percent of my life there, but there is divine grace for this task and you will be greatly rewarded.
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1: Let it go: is it part of the French expression?Let him go, let him go, let him go, literally?Let him go, let him go, let him go?. This term is generally used as a symbol of economic liberalism. New Testament.