Mutual submission: Why parents are to submit to their children

Many parents believe that children are to submit to their parents. This is a common stance amongst American parents. Most American parents feel that they deserve respect from their children. The fact of the matter, however, is that parents are deserving of absolutely nothing, from children or anyone else. Parents are to submit to their children, expecting absolutely nothing in return. The burden of proof in the mutual submission between parent and child falls on the parent.

Love is submission, and submission is love. The Greek root word denoting love in the New Testament is αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to, in this context, prioritizing children first, and yourself as a parent last, to the point of dutiful and selfless submission to the every vulnerable need of children, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others, serving said child as you would God. True Love does not come from pride or desire, but from a place of fearful conviction where you come to the knowledge as a parent that you are a depraved and decadent sinner who is deserving of absolutely nothing, from children or anyone else. This change of heart leads to the sinner paying due penance and serving their neighbor. Children were seen as the neighbor of their parents, not the enemy. See Matt. 22:35-40. 

Parents are to completely and selflessly submit to their children. In return, children are to rest securely in the wake of dutiful and selfless submission from parents. See 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. Children are to rest securely in the sacrifice of parents, just as parent believers rest securely in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Parents are to be extensions of Christ, sacrificing for their children, just as Christ Sacrificed for His children, with children being a Godhead for parents to serve, and with children resting safely and securely in the submission of parents. Parents are the enemy of children, just as mankind is the enemy of God, with parents being subservient to them just as they are to Him, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch and speech perceived by a child, coming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and understood in its original context, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including any form of punishment or controlling demeanor towards a child. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. Parents who punished their children were charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen in biblical times as holding a child hostage merely for things they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a slave (only indentured servants were allowed as slaves under Jewish law). Paul was lifting up this legal context to a group of Greek Christians who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child.

Children, in biblical times, wore no clothing, at all, until they became adults. Women only wore clothing outside the home, otherwise going in the nude, in order to serve their husbands and their children, separately. Mothers served their children by way of providing for them nourishment and sustenance, namely breastmilk (until age 3) and skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy, respectively. The core aspect of Christian attachment parenting is skin-on-skin co-sleeping, with mother and child fast asleep next to each other in the nude, with the child soaking up the rays of skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy. By day, children ranged next to mothers, sometimes clinging to her. When mothers went out and about, they wrapped up their child next to their bosom with swaddling blankets. Children up until age 6 never left the side of mothers, and even when children got older, the children never left the line of sight of their parents. The first few years of the child's life was spend together with mothers, and the last few years of the child's life was spent apart from mothers, with fathers encouraging bold feats of independence during the latter half of childhood...This context is applicable today just as it was in the days of old, perhaps with some tweaking.

Parent submission comes from a place of parent conviction, meaning in order to love your child, you have to be convicted of your sins towards both your child and children in general. Parents and other adults are depraved and decadent sinners deserving of absolutely nothing, from children or others. We as adults are depraved and decadent sinners who are deserving of nothing in relation to children but DEATH and PUNISHMENT for our incursions upon child-kind that have taken place since time immemorial. Acknowledging this sin guilt convicts the parent of his/her original sin, and prompts the sinner/parent to serve the every vulnerable need of their children, earning their worth through acts of good works towards their child instead of demanding respect and sympathy from their children in a victim stance. 

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