Children first, parents last: Defining Christian love for children

Many parents think that they come first in a relationship between them and their child. This is a common attitude among parents in America. Most parents also believe they love their children. If parents truly loved their children, they wouldn't put themselves first in the relationship with their child.

It says in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 KJV:

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether they be prophecies, they shall fail; whether they be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

"Charity" refers to Christian love, and is denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao), and refers to prioritizing the needs of children first, and yourself last as a parent, in a fearful and convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need. Love is a form of submission that esteems, or holds high, one's neighbor, putting your neighbor's needs first, and yourself last. Christian love for children is holding them high above you, serving their needs as more important than your own needs. "Charity never faileth" means here that if you don't submit to your child, not only don't you love them, but you never did love them to begin with.

Christian attachment parenting is best understood as a form of mutual submission between parent and child, with the burden of proof falling on parents, who are supposed to love their children just as Christ loved His children. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

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

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. Parents are to be extensions of Christ in the family home, sacrificing for children, just as Christ sacrificed for His children, self-crucifying themselves for a Godhead which is children, being toppled over, with children being an extension of God issuing lawful and binding orders that is their every vulnerable need. Attachment parenting of this sort was mandated under Jewish customary law in Ancient Israel, and was mandated by church ordinance in the Early Church. This Greek word lifts up the attachment parenting context in the Bible for the relevance of all.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse is defined under biblical law as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and understood in the context in which it was given, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including any punishment or controlling demeanor. Patrias postestas translates to "power to the father" or "power to the parent", and refers to the right under Greco-Roman law for a father to use force as he sees fit to police his household. No analogous law existed under Judeo-Christian law. In the Old Testament, parents were put to death by bloodletting (hanging parents like livestock) after punishing their children enough times, with parents being charged with kidnapping. Kidnapping was seen under the Law as any damages resulting from hostage taking, meaning punishment was seen as holding your child hostage. Paul was lifting up this moral legal context to Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. No such custom existed among the Early Christians, as the Early Christians, normatively, were attachment parents.

Children are to be put first, and parents last, leading to submission to children. Putting yourself last means being convicted of your wicked and depraved sin nature as an adult. God hates us all as human beings, especially us fallen adults, to the point of non-existence. Mankind is deserving of DEATH and PUNISHMENT from God merely for existing, with children being an exception due to the fact that they are learning what God's Law states. When you righteously self-loathe knowing this, you tend to put others first, and you can easily include your own children with that. The good Lord commanded us as Christians to submit to our neighbor (Matt. 22:35-40), and children are our neighbor just like spouses and other family members are our neighbor. All human beings, big and small, are our neighbor. As a Christian, I righteously self-loathe myself as an adult, and default to my neighbor, but especially children due to their vulnerable status.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be forever cast in to the like of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!