Children are expected to be obedient in a Christian home (Ephesians 6:11). This is condi tioned with the words "in the Lord." Obedience to Christ must be first. Keep in mind that no re ligious devotion can ever take the place of real obedience. How this needs to be stressed in our church es. It is Cod's first requirement of youth. The husband is to provide food, clothes and shelter for his family (I Timothy 5:8). Men who have no thought for God take this respon sibility seriously. How shameful then for those who profess to know the Lord to fail in this primary re sponsibility to the best of their ability. No premiums are placed on laziness. This does not mean to go to the other extreme of over indulgence either. It is simply the necessities of life that Scripture has in view. Wives also have responsibilties. Paul gives seven of them in Titus 2:4, 5. The first two form a pair. Wives are "to love their husbands and their children." Our homes should be places where affection dwells. Then the wife's personal character should be "sober-mind ed" and "chaste." This calls for well-balanced judgments and ac tions, as well as a moral life above reproach. She is to be the queen of her house. At the same time, she should make certain that the home is properly cared for. Dirty dishes and an unkempt house are out of keeping with the Christian faith. In this wintry world, a tender wife's love and a pious mother's care are the carpet on the floor and the blaze on the evening hearth of a true Christian home. Both husbands and wives have
the supreme responsibility of bring ing up the children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephes ians 6:4). The words are primarily directed to fathers because the governing of the home is the re sponsibility of the husband. The word "nurture" means education by discipline. In spite of what cur rent psychology might suggest, the Lord suggests appropriate chastise ment when a youngster has dis obeyed. I cannot help but wonder what would happen if we used the switch on the TV set less and one on our children more. We might take a long step toward keeping them from being delin quents. "Admonition" means training by word of encouragement when this is proper, or by reproof or blame when that is required. Suffice it to say, a child should not be spanked or scolded simply to relieve the parent's frustrations. This can be more damaging than not doing anything at all. Remember, the major product of the Christian home is a believing child who has learned how to be have. In Titus 1:6, one qualifica tion for Christian leaders is that they have children who "believe, who are not accused of riot or un ruly." A child brought up in such an environment should naturally come to put his trust in the Saviour whom his parents love. That trust should grow into a life of constant obedience to the Lordship of Christ. We have no right to expect the Sunday school or the Christian day school to do for us what God has ordained as our sacred task. The best way is through a consistent personal example. Dr. Morrison in his book, The Wind on the Hearth, wrote this
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