Love children: Why parents and other adults are to love all children

Many parents think that they love their children. This is a common attitude in parents that they defend loving their children. Most American parents, however, do not love their children. Most parents instead simply feel affection towards their children. True Love for one's child is something that comes from God. Love is not a feeling or a verb, but a state of being, and you can be in it for your children.

It says in Matthew 22:35-40 KJV:

Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The Greek root word translated "love" in both contexts here is αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to prioritizing your neighbor above yourself, to the point of dutiful and selfless submission to your neighbor, expecting absolutely nothing in return. True Love does not come from pride or desire, but instead fearful conviction, where individuals are convicted of the fact that they are deserving of absolutely nothing. This creates a sense of worthlessness in the sinner, prompting the sinner to perform good works in order to earn their worth. Children were regarded as the neighbor of parents and other adults. See also Matt. 25:31-46.

Parents are to be submissive to children, just as mankind is submissive to God, with parents regarding themselves as the enemy of such. Children are to rest securely in the love and submission of 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 children. 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 to God, expecting absolutely nothing in return, with children resting safely and securely in the submission of parents. Parents are to submit to children as their enemy, from beneath yet from above, revering and fearing children as vulnerable extensions of God. 

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 and 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 your child hostage merely for things they did wrong, thereby treating them as a quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up the Law 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, with Paul advocatng for children many times in his writings, more so than any other biblical writer.

Mothers in biblical times provided for their children nourishment and sustenance, namely attachment parenting items such as breastfeeding and skin-on-skin comfort. During the first 6 years of childhood, children were in constant closeness with mothers, ranging beside her in the home, being wrapped up next to her bosom in swaddling blankets when out and about. After children turned 6, they started exploring around the house, and around the perimiter of the house. Children were curious about things such as chores and cooking, and so parents took the chance to, instead of shooing curious hands away, teach children how each chore was done properly. Every time children had enough of exploring and playing, they returned to the closeness of mothers, until they could shake that closeness off entirely one day.

Children, in biblical times, were loved in the same way all Christians are commanded to love God, meaning children were treated to Agape love. Children were seen in biblical times as vulnerable extensions of God, meaning God appeared in their vulnerability, and whatever you didn't do for children, you didn't do for God. If you abused or harmed a child, you did the same to God just for what you did to that child. Children were seen as called by God to convict all mankind of their charitable duties towards the "least of these".

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!