Reverent fear: Why parents should fear their child (and their child's needs)

 Many parents believe children should fear adults, and should fear punishment from parents and other adults, with punishment being one means of control for the pro-spanking parent. Reverent fear is a component of Christian love for a child, and is good fear to have as a parent.

It says in Revelation 21:6 KJV:

The fearful, the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars; shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

The Greek root word "fearful" is δείλός (Latin: deilos) and refers to a specific type of guilty fear, meaning fear of getting caught, or else any fear or insecurity that leads to sin. This includes fear of children that blames them for their existence, leading to punishment for things that are normal for children to do. 

The reverent opposite of this fear is reverent fear, which is denoted by the Greek root word ψοβός (Latin: phobos) and refers to fearing children in a way that blames oneself even for one's mere existence, presuming guilt in one's motives and emotions in relation to a child, until proven otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt. If I have any reason to believe I mean harm to a child, I seek it out, and correct it, in the righteous halt of the authority that is children, trembling before her altar, as an extension of God, obeying her commands as to personal boundaries, being beholden to children as an indentured servant paying due penance for his wretched existence in relation to children.

Christian love is denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to dutiful, selfless submission to the every vulnerable need of children, being convicted of sin guilt for one's mere existence in relation to children, knowing not ever more what it is like to be a child, knowing one's capacity to harm a child, thus being convicted to serve the every need of children, including attachment needs, with said child being extension of God.

Parents are to sacrifice for their child and their every vulnerable need, including attachment needs, just as Christ sacrificed for His children, expecting nothing in return from His children, with parents rendering themselves beneath their child, serving and ministering to their child's every need, with said child being in place of Christ, meaning the "least of these" (Matt. 25:31-46).

This leads to mutual submission between parents and children, meaning mutual respect between parents and children. It says in Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things, as is well-pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they become discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to providing custody of children, meaning secure, vulnerable rest in the care and safety of parents, being able to tell parents anything and everything, including things that most people would not understand, being a confidant to parents, with parents listening, while owing nothing in return. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιιζο (Latin: erethizo) and literally translates to "stir up" and is one of the Greek words in the New Testament that refers to the offenses, meaning the torts and damages under Jewish law, including assault and battery laws which extended to children in terms of protection. The rod of correction was an instrument of legal correction, but only towards adults, and only as a sentence for crime in the Old Testament. Corporal punishment was not a form of church discipline in Early Church.

Attachment parenting was the norm throughout the Bible, and thus children did not fear their parents, but trusted them with warmth. Reverent fear was foe parents, and was a low-level fear of themselves leaving down their child, and hurting them, in a way that convicted them to serve their child's needs and not hurt them. Parents were servants to their children then, not distant authority figures. Children up to age 3, or perhaps even older, were put in swaddling clothes. Think Jesus in swaddling clothes. That was the norm for every child then. Children then were very close to their mother, and were not seen as culpable morally for misdeeds. If a child endangered themselves by, then, going near a scorpion, the parent would simply pick the child up, and hold him or her, gently warning the child about the danger. There was no punishment then for children, as punishment wasn't a concept except in catastrophic terms for adults. Children were deemed too young to face punishment for their actions.

The depraved and entitled parents will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Being a parent and punishing or controlling a child will never be acceptable, even if it is widely accepted today. Let the parents burn in the lake of burning sulfur and brimstone, which is the second death! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!