Fear your child: Why to reverently fear your child

Many parents want their children to fear them. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most parents in America want to be feared by their children. The idea is that most parents want children to be pliable and compliant, in a way where children fear their parents. However, the fact of the matter is that the Bible says something different. Parents are to fear their children, for their children are extensions of God.

Parents are to be submissive to children, just as they are submissive to God. Children, in turn, are to rest safely and securely in the submission of parents. This is the mutual submission commanded of God between parents and children. 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 in the family home, dutifully and selflessly submitting to children just as they would God, expecting absolutely nothing in return, with children resting safely and securely in the submission of parents. Children are to rest safely and securely in the presence of parents, trusting parents in all things, following mothers around especially like goslings to a mother goose.

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 or speech perceived by a child, stemming 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 punishments or controlling demeanor towards children. 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 your child hostage merely for things that they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up this legal context in order to convict a group of Greek Christian parents 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 were prized when they were bold and rebellious. Boldness was seen as a sign of independence in children, and was encouraged by fathers. Rebellion in children was also prized, meaning was seen as cute and endearing to Jewish and Christian parents in the biblical context. The boldness and rebelliousness of children struck reverent fear and terror into parents, bringing them to full and dutiful submission to their children, with parents giving up all fight with their child, giving into the demands of children. Children then sure issued demands, and parents were righteously enslaved to the demands of their children, fearing the commands of their children, giving in to every demand, order, and edict from their children.

Parents are to be submissive to children, just as parent believers are to be submissive to God. Children in biblical times were seen as extensions of God, meaning installments and sentries of God called to judge righteously the charity and good will of adults, then reporting straight to God. Children were seen as being a deity of their own, while being representative of part of God's personality. Children, as deities, reigned over their parents, with parents trying to appease the deity of their child, winning favor with the deity of their child. Children were judged then, as a blanket judgment, as being sacrosanct, meaning they can do no wrong, even when they literally did things that were considered wrong. Children who sinned were excused as simply learning. Acts of theft were excused completely in the Early Church, whereas acts of blasphemy (including fornication) had to be confessed at the altar when the child was being baptized as an adult.

The concept of reverent fear is one of righteous anxiety and worthless self-regard, in a way that prompts the sinner/parent to do good works for their neighbor/child to earn their worth. Reverent fear is denoted by the Greek root word φοβός (Latin: phobos) and refers, in the context of parenting, to reverently fearing your child's demands to the point of giving up fighting with your child, and then giving in to their demands, orders, and edicts. Children are to reign with terror over their parents, righteously enslaving parents to their needs, striking parents with reverent fear and terror. Parents are to always fear the wrath of their children, just as they fear the wrath of God, heeding warning from their children at all times. Parents to obey their children, just as they obey God. 

The first half of childhood went peacefully, like "silent night". The second half of childhood was when children rebelled, by way of making assertive demands and insisting on doing things on their own. Parents didn't fight children's demands, but instead gave up the fight, and gave in to the demands of their children. Bold feats of independence were praised and encouraged lavishly.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger 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!