Reverent fear: Why fear is the root of all love for children

Many parents think that they love their children. Very few actually do. Many say "I love my child" as an excuse for punitive parenting. Most parents think that love is simply a feeling you get for your child, and should be a prideful feeling. Love is actually a state a Christian parent finds themselves in, and it is the lowest place - yet the most satisfying place nonetheless.

It says in Romans 3:9-12 KJV:

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

This passage - written to Roman Christians - reflects to the modern day how God feels about humanity. God hates us all, so much that He does not want us to exist in relation to Him. Love begins when you acknowledge this state of things. In order to recognize your original sin, you need to be struck with reverent fear and terror.

Reverent terror is denoted by the Greek root word ψοβός (Latin: phobos) and refers to a form of reverent anxiety that leads to concern for your neighbor. It is the fear leading to the belief that, in the realm of parenting, that children come first, and you come last. The ability to put yourself last as a Christian parent comes from the belief that you are entitled to nothing from children or others, and thus leading to the belief that your child is deserving of everything you can bestow upon them, even at your expense. Love is putting your child on a pedestal above you, with you as the parent putting yourself last, and them first.

Reverent fear leads to love, which leads to submission. The Greek root word translated "love" and "charity" in the New Testament is αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and ultimately refers to a state of being where you put everyone else first, and yourself last, prioritizing by the smallest person first, and the biggest person last. Others become more important than you, in your own eyes, yet because you see yourself serving your neighbor, you take gratitude in your service to your neighbor. Children are the most vulnerable of human beings, thus they are a thousand times more important to you than your own personal needs, which can wait. The needs of children can't wait. 

It says in 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 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 their children, just as Christ sacrificed for His children, with parents self-crucifying for a Godhead which is children, and with children resting securely in the sacrifice of parents. Children gave orders to parents as extensions of God. Attachment parenting was mandated in Ancient Israel under Jewish customary law, and in the Early Church under church ordinance. This Greek word lifts up the attachment parenting context, for the relevance of all. 

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely here the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child. The commandment not to provoke a child to anger was intended by the Apostle Paul to prohibit any form of punitive parenting, including all punishment and controlling demeanor towards children. Patrias potestas translates to "power to the father" or else "power to the parent", and ultimately refers to a father's right under Greco-Roman law to use force in policing his home as he saw fit. No analogous law existed under Judeo-Christian law. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting for punishing their children too many times, after many warnings that their punitive parenting habits violated the Law. Paul was lifting up this context to a group of Greek Christian parents that brought their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. No such custom existed among the Early Christians, who shunned all violence and entitlement, including towards children.

Most parents in the United States do not love their children. They claim to love their children, but they really hate them. They hate them enough to control them and punish them like slaves, and treat them as chattel to be whipped into shape. Children were not always seen this way. Our modern world is one of the most unwelcoming of times for children. In biblical times, children were warmly welcomed into society. The idea behind following the Bible as a parent is to love children like the ancients did, as God lifted up that context, and used a similar context to spread it across the world. We need to purge all punishment from our society. True love for a child is submission - and that is what we should do, towards children and their every vulnerable need.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them forever be cast into the lake 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!