Biblical Parenting

 

 This message was preached by Colin DCruz via zoom at Word Of Grace Church on  January 10th 2021. for the audio please click here.  TO listen to the worship please click here

If I was to ask you what your gender is, would you think? Why did I ask this? These days, the gender question is assaulted. This morning, I want to state what establishes the fact about gender.

6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ – Mark 10:6

God made them male and female. There are no 100+ gender identities. But there are only 2 – male and female.

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

-        Gen 1:27-31

God’s Word outlines that there are only 2 gender identities and the mankind is made in His image. And it was very good. Let us look into a few important truths.

 

Family is from God

Are all families equal? Let us look into a real life example.

There was a man name Jonathan Edward. A study was made on the lineage of his family tree. This is what was found –

Out of approximately 1,400 known descendants:

 

·                  "practically no lawbreakers";

·                  more than 100 lawyers and 30 judges;

·                  13 college presidents, 100+ professors;

·                  100 clergymen, missionaries and theological professors;

·                  62 physicians;

·                  80 elected public officials, including 3 mayors, 3 governors, several congressmen, 3 senators and 1 vice-president (Aaron Burr);

·                  60 authors or editors with 135 books to their credit; and

·                  75 army or navy officers.

 

Let us now look the lineage of Max Dukes family tree.

Of the total group of related individuals, this is what was found -

·                  310 were paupers who spent a combined 2,300 years in poorhouses;

·                  130 were convicted criminals;

·                  50 women were prostitutes;

·                  7 were murders; and

·                  these paupers and criminals cost the state of New York $1.5 million to pay for their incarcerations and $1.25 million in public welfare and other costs to society apart from incarceration.

 

What is the difference? Bringing up the children according to God’s Word is the difference. We have choices to make. We need to make the right choice. The legacies we leave go onto many generations and impact the world.

How do we bridge the gap between starting and leaving a legacy?

 

1.     Material Provision

 

As parents, it is our responsibility to provide for our children.

 

8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. – 1 Tim 5:8

 

 

 

 

2.     Faithful Instruction

 

8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. – Eph 6:8

 

We may provide with everything but without faithful instruction, they may get spoilt. Children however young, they do understand. So read to them the God’s word. Read the Bible stories. As they grow up, they would come to know the love of Jesus

Training them includes discipline in love.

 

3.     Giving a godly example

 

People should be able to see us training our kids.

 

 1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. – 1 Cor 11:1

 

We should be a living example. Our walk must match our talk.

 

4.     Showering love upon our children

 

It is very easy to see our kids doing wrong. We should remember to give them affirmation, love and encouragement. Remember to shower love. Sometimes we wait for them to perform well. But our love should be unconditional just as our Father in heaven showers His love upon us.

 

Family is very important. It is not man’s idea, but God’s. The gender is male and female. What we do have repercussions in the next generations till Christ returns. So, we need to stay rooted in the Word of God.

   Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is a part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.