The Goals of Child Training
1. Fear and Love of God
2. Love and Service of Others
3. Rule of Spirit
4. Wisdom
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 22:6
“My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”
Proverbs 3:1-8
“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
Luke 2:52
The Goals of Child Training
Fear and Love of God
Deut 6:4-7; Eccl 12:13-14; Prov 1:7; 9:10; Jer 9:23-24;
Psalm 37:4; Heb 12:28-29; Hebrews 10:31; Deut 13:1-5;
Psalm 34:11; Ephesians 6:4; Psalm 78:1-8
Take your children eagerly to every church assembly Analyze every current event in light of God’s word
Face every difficulty and need with purposeful prayer Ridicule evolution, sodomy, and other wickedness
Cut off ungodly friendships and explain why Explain all spankings as something God told you to do
Respond to blessing and deliverance with thanksgiving Be enthusiastic when reading the Bible in the home
Do whatever it takes to find a Bible preaching church Have a Bible reading and devotional time every day
Love and Service of Others
Lev 19:16-18; Matt 22:34-40; Luke 6:31; Phil 2:3-5; Matt 20:25-28; Matt 18:21-35;
Matt 5:43-48; Matt 25:31-46; James 3:14-18; Prov 18:24; Ps 133:1; I Cor 12:13-27;
Rom 12:10 ; Rom 12:16; Rom 15:1-3; I Cor 13:4-7 ; Rom 12:15; II Cor 12:15;
Eccl 4:9-12; Prov 30:27; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14; James 2:8
Do not settle for love of God in self-centered children To grow in favor with God and men needs loving others
Teach your children the meaning of “I am third” Require each child to share toys or cars at all times
Draw out each child for praise in family gatherings Do not allow any sibling rivalry at all in the home
Set a good example of cheerfully serving others Stress the importance of loving others from the Bible
Remind and review why two are better than one Teach the lesson that many hands make a task light
Practice hospitality that involves the whole family Use every offence by an enemy to teach loving them
Explain that a lack of friends is their fault, not others Encourage and support children taking others out
Require your child to consider all and each in a group Require your child to participate in all group activities
Deny that any need or request is beneath your child Teach compassion by thoughtful and prayerful concern
Teach them to be willing to do anything for anyone Emphasize aggressive eagerness to jump in and help
Stop a child talking of himself or problems to others Require initiative and involvement in helping others
Accustom your child to praise of others, not of him Deny and despise any self-centered attitude at anytime
Crush the loner approach at home, church, etc. Exalt the role, attitude, and work of being a servant
Never let a child whine about doing things for others Converse about others only to help and serve them
Tell your child all other children are more important Praise sacrificing time, money, or emotion for others
Require a child to help other children with projects Teach and emphasize graciousness as a great virtue
Teach the best solution for depression is serving others Commend helping others more than personal honors
Teach the Bible’s opinion of self-love, not the world’s Every bodily member is different for a valuable body
Send children to church with specific ones to pursue Show and teach generosity and liberality in all dealings
Require conventionality as a pleasing trait to win men Demand loving allowances for all positions of liberty
Conversations should be turned to others by questions Condescend and go after the less comely persons
Always agree, approve, and cooperate in group settings Never correct anyone for unimportant facts or errors
Silence is always better than babbling with people If it does not truly matter, then never press an issue
Encourage or require dates solely for graciousness Teach that joy is spelled by Jesus, others, and then you
Ruling the Spirit
Prov 16:32 ; Prov 25:28; Phil 4:5; I Cor 9:24-27; James 1:19; James 3:2; Titus 2:12;
Prov 4:23; Prov 22:11; Gal 5:24; Prov 14:29; Prov 19:11; Prov 16:19;
II Cor 4:8-9; I Sam 30:6; Psalm 27:13-14; Psalm 42:5,11; Psalm 43:5; James 5:17
You can begin setting a child’s schedule at mere weeks. Even if sick, a child does not need to cry and whine.
Require staying seated at meals, devotions, and church. Save praise and rewards for when a job is finished.
Rebuke and correct moodiness and/or depression. You can teach a child to like any food by reserving it.
Even during discipline a child should rule his crying. Depression is generally not an illness, but a selfish spirit.
Crush anger, for it is a passion that knows no reason. Teach young children off-limit things at the table.
Teach children to sit still for devotions and adults. Children can never be allowed to talk back to parents.
Complaining should be crushed as much as anything. Children should wait until they are asked to speak.
Cheerfulness is not an option; joy is a command. A strong-willed child just means you must work harder.
Losing a game cannot lead to anger or moping. Quitting cannot be part of a child or adult’s vocabulary.
Waiting for a thing strongly desired builds patience. Life is a long chain of day-after-day routines done well.
Miscellaneous (not in order of priority)
Respect of authority
| Eph 6:1-13; I Pet 2:11-19; II Peter 2:10-12; Rom 13:1-7; Exodus 22:28; Hebrews 13:17; I Peter 3:6; Hebrews 12:9; Exodus 22:28 |
Honesty
| Prov 12:22; Prov 6:16-19; Romans 12:17 |
Humility
| Prov 16:18-19; Prov 18:12; Prov 29:23; Prov 25:6-7; James 4:6; Rom 12:16 |
Diligence
| Prov 6:6-11; Prov 22:29 ; Prov 14:23; I Cor 15:10; Prov 10:4; Prov 13:4 |
Wisdom
| Prov 4:7-8; Eccl 7:11-12; Eccl 10:10; Eph 5:15-17; Prov 24:3-6; Prov 3:13-18 |
Zeal
| Eccl 9:10; II Kgs 9:20; Gal 4:18 |
Thankfulness
| I Thess 5:18; Deut 28:47; Heb 13:15 |
Friends
| I Cor 15:33; Prov 14:7; Ps 119:63; Prov 29:25; Heb 10:23-25; Prov 13:20 |
Good speech
| James 3:2; Prov 22:11; Col 4:6; Prov 15:1; Matt 12:34-37; Jas 1:19 |
Graciousness
| Prov 11:16 ; Eccl 10:12; Dan 6:3 |
Priorities
| Prov 16:8; Prov 17:1; Prov 15:17; Matt 23:23 ; Eccl 7:1-6; Jer 9:23-24 |
Friendliness
| Prov 18:24; Prov 17:17; Prov 27:10 |
Group dynamics
| Eccl 4:9-12; Prov 30:27; Heb 10:23-25 |
Sexual purity
| I Thess 4:3-8; Prov 7:6-27; Prov 6:20-35 |
Marriage in the Lord
|
Gen 6:1-2; I Cor 7:39; I Cor 11:11; Judges 14:1-3; I Kgs 11:1-10; Gen 28:1-5 |
Spirituality
| Phil 3:18-19; II Tim 3:1-5; Col 3:2 |
Contentment
| I Tim 6:6; Phil 4:11; Heb 13:5 |
Generosity
| II Cor 9:6-7; Prov 11:24-26; Luke 6:38; Acts 20:35; I Chron 22:5 ; I Chron 29:2 |
Fruit of Spirit
| Gal 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9; II Pet 1:5-9 |
Duty
| Psalm 15:1-5 ; Exodus 18:21; Prov 20:6; Prov 25:13; Prov 20:11; Phil 2:20-22 |