The Responsibilities Of Children
In The Christian Home

Children should obey their parents...

God commands it:

Leviticus 19:3 - Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

Colossians 3:20 - Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

Exodus 20:12 - Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Who is this God who is commanding us to obey our parents?

Hebrews 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Deuteronomy 4:24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

Should children care about what kind of friends they have?

Psalms 119:63 - I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

Proverbs 1:10 - My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. 11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: 12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: 13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: 14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: 15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: 16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. 17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. 18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. 19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

What happens when we don't stay away from friends who are a bad influence?

Job 4:8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

Proverbs 13:20 - He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

2 Chronicles 19:2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.

1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Should children care about how they dress?

Do parents have any right or reason to tell their children how to dress?

Proverbs 11:22  As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

Why should children obey their parents?

God blesses those who obey their parents and curses those who do not obey:

Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

God has given you to your parents to prepare you for the future when you will be on your own. You should be learning from them these things:

• what the Bible says about God's plan of salvation by grace alone through the work of Christ alone
• what the Bible says about how we should live
• how to be a God glorifying mother or father
• how to be a God glorifying husband or wife
• how to maintain a home and property
• various skills necessary to earn an income

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 6 For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Exodus 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

Exodus 21:17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

Proverbs 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

We can learn a lot from our parent's experience, from their knowledge of things that we don't know about and from their mistakes - because they have surely made their share of mistakes and have committed their share of sin. The Bible says we are fools if we despise our father's instructions:

Proverbs 15:5 - A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

Proverbs 20:20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

It gives joy to your parents for them to see you learning from them and benefiting from their teaching.  

They dedicate so much of their lives to their children. They want what is best for their children, even though their children may not realize it.

Proverbs 23:22 - Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. 23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. 24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. 25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

Robbing Parents...

Proverbs 28:24 - Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.

How do we rob our parents?

• we rob them of respect by a bad attitude or by talking back to them

Exodus 21:17 - And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

• we rob them of help by not doing chores or by doing our chores half-heartedly
• we rob them of peace by giving them a hard time about rules they have, even though their rules are meant to keep us from harm and meant to teach of good habits that we will need to have when we go looking for a job someday

Proverbs 30:17 - The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

• we rob our parents of respect when we reject their advice - thinking we know better than them...

Proverbs 28:26 - He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

Proverbs 4:1 - Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

Proverbs 13:1 - A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

Proverbs 15:5 - A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof (rebuke/correction) is prudent. (careful/wise/sensible/having sound judgment/having self-restraint in speech or behavior).