Passing down the faith: How to bring up children in the Lord the right way (meaning without punishment or force)

Many parents know that children need religion. However, most parents think that this means that children need religion beaten into them. However, the fact of the matter is that children do not need to be punished in order to grow up to being a Christian. Instead, children need access to a Bible and religious literature, and the rest takes care of itself.

Passing down the faith is a part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission, with the burden of proof falling squarely on the part of parents. See Ephesians 6:1-4 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

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, 25:31-46.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) 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 your 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 and offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen 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. 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.

The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers to here, in this context, gently melding the countenance of a child. In light of Eph. 6:4, stanza 1, this could only one thing - lavish praise and encouragement when children were caught in the act of good behavior. Whenever children were caught being good, they were lavishly praised and encouraged with statements such as "keep headed down the straight path". Children ultimately learned good behavior by copying the Christian example of parents. However, this good example was backed up by lavish praise and encouragement, as opposed to harsh punishment or force. Children need religious instruction, as religion is a human need for children and adults alike. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and refers to self-directed religious instruction. This religious instruction started out with fathers leaving a Bible out for children to discover and explore. When children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were lavishly praised and encouraged with statements such as "that book is good for you". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format, based off of what children saw in the text. Children were eager to learn the facts of life, with fathers being quick to give pointers on the context. This religious instruction helped to center the countenance of children, which is the actual Judeo-Christian goal of parenting.

Today, children have another mode of religious instruction - the Internet. Children still read their Bible, and will still ask parents 20 questions about Christianity. The idea is to be prepared ahead of time, so that you can easily answer the plethora of questions about the Bible. Children, however, can and will do their own to research the Bible based off of the Internet. 

Children have religious needs, just as adults have religious needs. Thus, children simply need a Bible, a Christian website on their electronic devices, and then they are set. They might come to difference from you in terms of religion, but at least they have values.

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!