Mutual surrender: Why parents should respect their children first

Many parents want to be respected. These parents demand respect from their children. However, respect is earned in life, and when you disrespect a child with demanding entitlement, you don't earn respect in return. Parents and children are to mutually surrender, only Rome reversed the roles between parents and children.

The Fifth Commandment is repeated in the doctrine of mutual surrender, which commands parents respect first. It is Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translates "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to rest in the love and grace of parents, just as parents rest in the sacrificial love of Christ, with children being close to parents, leading to respect, with children being able to tell parents and be in relation to parents anything and everything under the sun, with children resting in the security and freedom provided for by the sacrifice and love of parents. Children went in the nude, and co-slept with mothers who were also nude while at home, receiving skin-to-skin closeness with mothers. Closeness was valued with children over slavish obedience, meaning parents in ancient Israel and adjoining churches wanted to be close to their children, with mothers nurturing and fathers lovingly encouraging. Children gave demands, in a policing manner towards parents, and parents supplied the demands. Attachment then was of a policing manner, meaning one-way confidant, where the child confides their every want and feeling to parents, and parents selflessly obliges to the demands of children, not questioning the needs of children. Children demanded, then parents provided, then children were happy and adored their parents for doing so much for them, then resting in the warmth and love of parents, being thankful and grateful for all their acts of service and charity towards children.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and literally translates to "stirring up" as in the Jewish idiom of "stirring the pot" in regards to the emotional welfare of your children. A provocation to anger was an offense, here offenses against children, namely the slightest of personal slight perceived by the child. This command opposed spanking and corporal punishment, as well as other forms of punishment and control in parenting, and this commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul to ban spanking and corporal punishment, as Paul was chastising pro-spanking parents of the Hellenistic variety. Hellenistic culture was heavily reliant on corporal punishment, and many of the new congregants in the 1st Century were Greeks. Paul would have none of it in the churches he oversaw, and sent anti-spanking and anti-punishment commands to parents in several Christian communities. Accompanying the delivery of the command not to offend children in vs. 21 was attachment parenting manuals, which instructed parents to use an exemplary form of attachment parenting, based on the Living Example of Christ, meaning being generous and charitable to children in a way that modeled the charity and love of Jesus Christ, namely His Sacrifice. Christ gave to His children, meaning everything, and so should parents towards their children, then watch them be thankful. Sometimes, "I want..." is a statement of thanksgiving in and of itself, because they trust you on the want level, which is pretty deep trust with a child.

In order to get respect, you have to earn it, even as a parent. There is no free ride in parenting, meaning parents need to work for their respect, not demand it with a glorified title. The way to earn respect from your child is to be close to them, and spend some quality time with them. Allow them to talk to you about anything, then watch them rest in your loving presence.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them burn in the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!