Godly Child Training (2 sermons)

I. CHILD TRAINING COMMANDED

1. Paul taught fathers to bring children up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD (Eph 6:4).
   1. Nurture. Upbringing, training, education. Moral training or discipline. Promoting growth.
   2. Admonish. Put in mind of duties; counsel against wrong practices; to give authoritative or warning advice; to exhort, to warn.
   3. Children must be trained and educated in the counsel, warnings, and reproof of the Lord.
2. Solomon taught that proper child training will result in faithful, righteous adults (Prov 22:6).
   1. Train. Subject to discipline and instruction to form the character and develop the powers of.
   2. We are to train children, not just raise them. We raise vegetables, but train children.
   3. We are to train them up. This describes the lengthy period from birth to majority.
   4. We train them up in the way. We cannot train every step, but we can train the way.
   5. We train them in the way they should go. It will not be the way they would go.
   6. When they are old, they will obey the training. They may rebell earlier (Prov 29:21).
3. No training is negative training by default – they have depraved hearts from Adam (Pr 29:15).
4. Where do you stand as a father or mother? With Time? Effort? Expense? Emphasis? Consistency?

II. CHILD TRAINING CONCEPTS

1. The Holy Scriptures alone give light and understanding (Ps 119:128; Is 8:20; II Tim 3:16-17).
   1. Where did you get your philosophy of education? God or Satan? Heaven or hell?
   2. The world’s education model is not godly – it was designed by the prince of this world.
   3. Can you empty your mind and let only Scripture fill it with God’s wisdom (II Cor 10:5)?
   4. We want “thus saith the LORD” rather than “my father did it this way” or “everyone does it.”
   5. Results prove nothing: they can result from many opposing influences. Only Scripture counts.
2. Children are the LORD’s (Ps 127:3). Hanah had a great spirit about Samuel (I Sam 1:27-28).
3. Child training is not a matter of liberty but of commandment (Proverbs 16:25; Isaiah 55:8-9).
4. Fathers are responsible for training children rather than mothers, pastors, or teachers.
5. Abram was a godly father (Gen 18:19). Command – the Lord’s way – justice and judgment.
6. Joshua spoke for his house (Joshua 24:15). So did Cornelius and the jailor (Acts 10:2; 16:33).
7. Corporal punishment is more obvious Scripturally than monogamy, the Trinity, or church attendance.
   1. Humble yourself and learn wisdom (Prov 13:24; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15; 26:3; 10:13).
   2. Better begin it earlier than later to have results (Prov 13:24; 19:18; Psalm 58:3).
8. Example teaches well – hypocrisy will train hypocrisy (Ezekiel 16:44; Philippians 3:17).
9. Our goal is the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 2:52 cp I Sam 2:26)? What does the world suggest?
10. Child training is not just “devotions” but rather a part of daily life (Duet 6:4-9; 11:19-21).
11. Child rebellion marks perilous times and a judgment from God (Rom 1:30; II Ti 3:2; Is 3:1-5,12).
12. Christianity has been diluted until we may not be able to visualize a godly family by the Bible.
13. The excessive doting and exaltation of children and their whims has backfired appropriately.
14. Child training is not raising children with three squares daily, washed hands, and clean ears.
15. Taking your children to church and praying before meals is good, but we are talking about much more.
16. The content of godly training we may draw from the Bible has been inverted and perverted by man.
17. What if the time, effort, expense, and emphasis of the world’s training were spent on godly training?
18. A people prepared for the LORD has good parent-child relationships (Malachi 4:6; Luke 1:16-17).
19. Our goal is well-trained young men and polished young women by His blessing (Psalm 144:12).
20. This matter will be more of conviction than it will of knowledge. How much do you truly care?
21. If ever there has been a time when parents need to train their children, it is now in these last days.

III. CHILD TRAINING CONTENT

1. Spiritual: for maintaining a holy personal life in the fear of God and fellowship with Christ.
   1. This is far more than baptism, church attendance, obedience, diligence, and faith.
   2. Consider the training and influence that Paul saw in Timothy (II Tim 1:3-5; 3:14-15).
   3. See the emphasis on teaching the law (Deut 4:9-10; 6:2,7,20; 11:19-21; 31:13; 32:46).
   4. The fear of the LORD can be taught (Ps 34:11). David taught Solomon (Pr 4:4; 6:20).
   5. Teach four generations specific content both positively and negatively (Ps 78:1-8).
   6. Children must be taught to remember their Creator while young (Eccl 12:1; Pr 22:6).
   7. The wise man tried it all and summarized the conclusion and our duty (Eccl 12:13).
   8. A truly spiritual father will confess even the probable sins of his children (Job 1:5).
   9. The purpose for life according to Hezekiah was to convey truth to children (Is 38:19).
   10. The ultimate purpose for man is the glory and pleasure of God (Prov 16:4; Rev 4:11).
   11. This category is often left to the pulpit, but the true life of holiness is lived at home.
   12. If we consider the ideal matter for this category, we create a very spiritual environment.
   13. Review the “Spiritual Life” section in the outline entitled “Godly Training for Girls.”
2. Character: for developing those traits that please God and men in all circumstances of life.
   1. We reject self-love, pride, foolish talking, covetousness, lasciviousness, anger, and selfishness.
   2. We promote graciousness, virtue, diligence, sobriety, faithfulness, charity, kindness, and joy.
   3. As Dr. Alan Keyes so eloquently states, our nation is morally and character bankrupt.
   4. The roles from God for our boy and girl children should be emphasized to them daily.
   5. There are odious and gracious women. Daughters must know and make the difference.
   6. Are your daughters ready to be submissive, obedient, reverent, meek, and quiet wives?
   7. Reading a chapter of Proverbs a day is one of the simplest and wisest things to do.
   8. Every event in life (current events or family situations) should be resolved from the Bible.
   9. Children should be trained to apply the word of God to every real or imagined situation.
   10. While much of the Bible deals with this category, the book of Proverbs deals with it totally.
   11. Review the “Character Life” section in the outline entitled “Godly Training for Girls.”
3. Functional: for a woman to be a great mother and wife and a man a great husband and father.
   1. Girls need domestic knowledge and skills, feminine knowledge and skills, sexual knowledge and confidence, reproductive knowledge, artistic ability, romantic ability, infant care, etc.
   2. Boys need communication, etiquette, entertaining, romance, instructional, sexual, leading, etc.
   3. While other Bible passages deal with this category, the Song of Solomon deals with it totally.
   4. Review the “Functional Life” section in the outline entitled “Godly Training for Girls.”
4. Professional: for acquiring those general and specific skills for transferable expertise in a profession.
   1. You may choose academic credentials for a profession; vocational training for a trade; or capital and business expertise and networking for your own business.
   2. Given ability from God and time and chance influence economic ability more than any degree.
   3. After ability given by God and opportunity, then godly character will take on great value.
   4. The Bible is almost silent on this matter other than ability, opportunity, and character.
   5. Men should be content in the vocation they were called without complaint (I Cor 7:20-24).
5. Practical: for using this world wisely in all matters necessary to a peaceful and efficient life.
   1. Finance, computers, real estate, insurance, legal / government, shopping, culture, etc.
   2. The virtuous woman could think and execute matters not taught in school.
   3. Enterprising, entrepreneurial, and creative abilities are on the decline.
   4. While details are not give in the Bible, it is the sharp axe principle (Eccl 10:10).
6. Typical: school for hobbies or academic play in fine arts, history, languages, phys-ed, etc.
   1. Required 6.5 hours per day for 180 days per year for 16+ years from 6 to 22.
   2. Not only is much of it without value, it also flatters young people into self-delusion about life.
   3. If this category were ignored and its usual emphasis applied above, what would we have?