Christian Parenting: Raising Children in the Faith
Last updated: 2026-04-13
Scripture calls parents to nurture their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, while avoiding harshness that discourages them. This duty is performed as an act of gospel-centered worship, acknowledging that children are gifts from God to be trained for His glory.
📖 Nurture and Admonition
The primary duty of a Christian parent is to train children in the 'chastening and admonition of the Lord.' As noted in Ephesians 6:4, fathers are specifically warned not to provoke their children to wrath. This balance—providing firm, godly instruction while maintaining a heart of love—prevents children from being discouraged, as stated in Colossians 3:21. Christian parenting is not about creating well-behaved moralists, but about pointing our children toward their desperate need for the Savior, who is the only source of true righteousness.
Sources: Ephesians 6:4 · Colossians 3:21
✝️ A Gospel-Centered Calling
Parenting is a divine stewardship. We are called to love our children because Christ first loved us. While we are all 'more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe,' we are also 'more accepted and loved in Christ than we ever dared hope.' When we instruct our children, we are not earning favor with God; rather, we are responding to the grace we have already received. In the tradition of the 1689 LBCF, we recognize that our homes should be small congregations where the Word of God is central, preparing our children to walk in the freedom of the gospel.
Sources: 1689 LBCF Ch.26
Christian parenting is centered on bringing children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, as parents represent God's authority in the home. Parents are encouraged to prioritize the transmission of the gospel through daily life, diligent instruction in the Scriptures, and a pattern of grace-filled nurture rather than harsh provocation.
📖 A Life of Diligent Instruction
The foundation of parenting in the Reformed tradition is the active, daily commitment to teaching the Word of God to the next generation. As commanded in Deuteronomy 6:6-7, the truths of the gospel are not merely for formal settings but are to be woven into the fabric of daily life—when sitting at home, walking on the road, lying down, and rising up. This mirrors the instruction in the Second Helvetic Confession Ch. XXV, which emphasizes that parents and pastors should diligently instruct youth in the chief heads of our religion, laying the groundwork of faith early so that children understand their identity as a heritage from the Lord (Psalms 127:3).
Sources: Deuteronomy 6:6-7 · Second Helvetic Confession Ch. XXV · Psalms 127:3
🛡️ Nurture Without Provocation
Parenting is a stewardship that mirrors the gospel: we exercise authority, but we do so with the gentleness of Christ. The Scriptures in Ephesians 6:4 provide a vital balance, commanding fathers not to provoke their children to wrath—which happens when discipline is harsh, inconsistent, or lacks gospel hope—but to nurture them in the 'chastening and admonition of the Lord.' This aligns with the Heidelberg Catechism Q.104, which notes that while children must submit to instruction, parents are reminded that they represent God’s governance and must act with love and fidelity, avoiding the errors of legalism or indifference.
Sources: Ephesians 6:4 · Heidelberg Catechism Q.104
✝️ The Gospel as the End Goal
Parenting is not merely about behavior modification; it is about bringing children to the foot of the cross. As noted in the Large Catechism Preface, the goal of instruction is to help children know what a Christian must understand—namely, the Law, the Creed, and the Sacraments. We teach our children that they are more sinful than they dared believe, yet more loved in Christ than they ever dared hope. When we train them to honor their parents, we point them to the ultimate Father, who has already provided the 'remission of sins' through Jesus Christ, as highlighted in the Small Catechism Q.5.
Sources: Large Catechism Preface · Small Catechism Q.5
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