Righteous child worship: Why children were seen as extensions of God in the family home

Many parents think that parenting is akin to being God. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents think they are like God in the context of parenting. However, parenting in biblical times was instead seen as serving God, with children being extended to the doorstep of parents for love and charity.

God's Word states in Matthew 25:45-46 KJV: 

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Children were seen in biblical times as among the "least of these". Children, in biblical times, were seen as extensions of God, with children being extended by God to the doorstep of parents for love and charity coming from parents. Love for a child was seen as full and dutiful submission to children, with children being an extension of God. The Early Christians were a child worshipping people, meaning that they submitted to God through their child, from beneath yet from above, expecting absolutely nothing in return.

Righteous child worship is part of the doctrine of mutual submission, with the burden of proof falling squarely on the parents in that relationship. 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 submission of parents. This word ultimately refers to a secure attachment between parent and child in the family home. This secure attachment comes from parent submission, where parents are to submit to children just as they would to God, from beneath yet from above, expecting absolutely nothing in return. See also Matt. 22:35-40.

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 was understood in its original context, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including, but not limited to, any punishments, reprimands, or other 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. The 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 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 in his secular writings. Paul may not have gotten along with the women of the church, but he sure loved children, and even took in a few orphaned children during his time as a deacon.

Righteous child worship was seen as submission to children just as a parent would to God. Children were seen in biblical times as extensions of God on the doorstep of parents, for purposes of love and charity. Parenting a child was not seen as like being God, but instead was seen as serving God. Children worked for their child, hoping for a lump sum at the end - meaning that children are as independent as possible.

Whenever children cried, it was seen as a summonses extended by God at the doorstep of parents. Mothers responded to the every cry of their child, by way of cooing at their children before picking them up, and from there, she diagnosed the need and then met that need/ Maybe the child was tired. Maybe the child was hungry. Maybe the child needed mom's milk. Maybe the child needed mom, period. With any need, neglecting to give children what they need was seen as doing the same to God.

Punishing a child was clearly seen as punishing God in the Early Church. Whatever you did to a child or did not do to a child, you did so to God. If a parent spanked a child, or put them in time-out, they did the same to God.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever 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 day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!