Your Children Need the Gospel, Too! – Raising Your Children in the Instruction of the Lord

I have no idea what I’m doing!

If you are a parent, there is a chance that you have said this phrase a time or two. All the parenting books in the world and advice from your loved ones still can leave you feeling unprepared for what parenting truly entails. As Christians, Scripture provides a strong foundation for what parents are called to do.

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” – Ephesians 6:4, English Standard Version.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6, English Standard Version.

God reminds parents to raise their children in the way of the Lord. But, what does this mean?

The Call

First, it is important to understand the call of biblical parenting. When Jesus issues the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, He states that it is to make disciples of all nations. As parents, an essential place we need to live out this call is in our homes. In obedience to the Lord, we are tasked with sharing the gospel with our children and raising them in His ways.

We are tasked with making our children disciples.

It goes deeper than expecting good behavior. We are called to reflect who Christ is to our children and teach them to need and to follow Him! This is done through a lot of intentionality: sharing God’s truth with them, modeling the character of God, and inviting Jesus into everyday life.

Sin applies to kids, too

I know this is probably not what you want to hear, but it is necessary to understand the weight of raising your child in the way of the Lord: your child is a sinner. They need the gospel just as much as we do. This is not an easy pill to swallow; the love a parent has for a child is so rich and so deep. Scripture tells us that we are all made in the image of God, including our children; they are created by Him and He loves them even more deeply than we do. But Scripture also shows us that we are all born with a sin nature and are in desperate need of a Savior.

Your toddler’s tantrum that happened because they had to sit at the table for dinner instead of running around? Sin. The lie your 4-year-old told you to avoid getting a toy taken away? Sin. The cookie your 6-year-old snuck out of the pantry? Sin.

Their lives remind us of what our hearts are like without Jesus.

There is good news, though! There is grace and mercy! God did not leave us to figure out everything for ourselves; He gave us His Word and His Son. Grace and mercy are only possible through the blood of Jesus. Through His life, death, and resurrection, we are able to be reconciled to God. He offers forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus’ sacrifice and, as parents, it is our duty to share that with our children. Not only in word but also in deed. And they need to hear it over and over and over again.

What to do.

Here are some practical steps and ideas of what you can do to be a biblical parent to your children:

1.     Share the Gospel with them!

Surprise! One of the most practical things you can do is to simply share the gospel with your children. And do so in words they are able to understand. The gospel, while it does carry a lot of weight, is actually pretty simple. Explaining the gospel to your children in a language that they will understand, does not diminish the truth and weight of what Jesus did.

Tell your children that they are created and loved by God. Explain that they, like you, are a sinner and disobey God, but that God loved them so much that He sent Jesus to save them by dying on the cross and being raised from the dead. Tell them that they are saved by faith in Jesus alone through His grace alone.

Scripture gives us the gospel in one verse, and it’s likely you already know it! John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Say this to your child, and do it often. And then live out your life as a reflection of the eternal life you have!

2.     Fill your life with Jesus.

Let every part of your life be filled with Jesus. Discipleship is more than doing a once-a-week family devotional. True discipleship is teaching your child that living out the gospel means that your entire being reflects Jesus and brings God glory.

Add Jesus into your everyday rhythms! When He is the central part of your life, talking about Him becomes natural.

Here are some ways to do this:

Speak Scripture over your children during mundane tasks. Take the mundane, ordinary moments and use them as an opportunity to remind your child of God’s truth. Say Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” before you even get your child out of bed. When they are helping you do the dishes, say 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or you drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God”.

Listen to worship music or fun Christian music in the car or when you’re hanging out around the house. Anytime you need background noise, let it be music that brings God glory!

Read the Bible together! In the morning during breakfast, in the evening at the dinner table, or at night before bed. Every chance you get, fill their minds and hearts with the Word of God! Remember, consistency over perfection. Let them see what it means to be devoted to the Lord.

Pray for them, pray with them, and then let them pray, too! Allowing them to say a prayer for your meals teaches them to add Jesus into their routine. Pray at night before bed. Teach them that prayer is not something to just check off of your list, but it is a daily conversation with God.

3.     Be a true reflection of the character of God.

Ever heard the phrase to lead by example? That is what biblical parenting should look like. Our kids watch us and they learn just as much from what they see us do as from what we say.

Scripture depicts God as our perfect, heavenly Father. He is filled with love, mercy, patience, and grace; He is also holy and just. Scripture is filled with examples of when God extends all of those characteristics to His children.

This means that we, as parents, should seek to be a true reflection of those characteristics! This looks like: loving them unconditionally, giving grace, bringing correction, teaching them truth, and being patient as they grow. It also means asking for forgiveness when we do wrong.

Rest in God’s Grace

Here is the main takeaway you have to understand: your child does not need a perfect parent; they need a parent who will always point them to their perfect Savior.

Biblical parenting feels heavy and like a lot of pressure, but just as there is grace and mercy for your children, there is also grace and mercy for you. Mistakes will happen. When you are being a true reflection of the character of God, you own up to those mistakes, ask for forgiveness, and then try and do better.

Turn to Scripture. Turn to your Heavenly Father. Share the gospel with your child and then leave them in the hands of the perfect Father to work in ways only He can.

If you want to learn more about biblical parenting and how to take care of your mental health turn to Anchored Hope Counseling in China Grove, NC. Anchored Hope Counseling provides a wide range of therapy services from couples counseling to personal one-on-one sessions. View a list of our offerings online, or schedule a consultation today. If you liked these tips remember to subscribe to our weekly blog for more news and insights.