Bible Verses About Parenting Responsibilities

God shows us His design for the family from the very beginning of His word. Genesis 2:24 describes this plan, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Into this intimate setting He grants the miracle of  children, a veritable gift and blessing. 

Psalm 127 says, "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."

God pours out His blessing on His people through children. And God has not left us hanging regarding how to rear and raise children. His word is littered with guidance and encouragement for raising those children in a way that brings glory to Him.

Children are a stewardship from God–they belong to Him, not us. He is kind to give the privilege of parenting. We must remember that we do not own our children, He does. Thus we are accountable to Him for them, and should not regard lightly the admonition to be sober-minded in our care of them. Speaking of sobering: Parents will stand before the Judgment Seat and have to answer for how they raised their children.

Gratefully, Scripture gives us the picture of God as our Father over and over again, and His design for the family is a daily, living illustration of our relationship with Him. We both learn from His fathering of us, and reflect Him in our parenting of the children He gives to us. Let’s give the Lord credit for having these purposes in mind from time eternal; family and parenting are not haphazard developments in God’s timeline.

In Matthew chapter 7, part of the unmatched Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructs, "Ask, and it will be given to you, seek, and you will find, knock, and it will be opened to you For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him."

Christian parents take heart! Parents both new and experienced  need the wisdom and empowerment of the Lord–mostly via His word–as they seek to serve God by raising up His children with obedient hearts towards Jesus. It's important to understand both the blessing and joy of parenting and also the weighty responsibility of it. Deuteronomy 21:18-21 shows us that "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and this mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives . . . Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death." Yikes! This shows the grievous consequences when a grown child rejects the upbringing of his parents and begins blaspheming God through rebellion.
And for the record, this writer must say that if he lived back in the times of Deuteronomy, he would have stoned dead for his rebelliousness at age six, ha ha!

Parenting in the Bible

God, in His goodness, always equips what He commands. Hence His word is filled with instruction and with examples of parenting in many bible verses about parenting responsibilities.

Ephesians 6:1-4: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (this is the first commandment with a promise), that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." This scripture demonstrates that it is up to our children to decide to obey, but it is up to parents to teach little children God's morals, values, and character. Parents must teach that God is trustworthy and will provide, and it is destructive to be pursuing dishonest gain. 

These are big ideas and have many applications. Isaiah 28:10 reminds us that the teaching of these things is "precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little". God understands that it takes time and repetition and life application to instill His ways into the hearts and minds of the children He gives. Be steadfast, and patient, and entrust the outcome to Him. He loves us immeasurably, and He loves our children more than we can fathom.

Here’s a different verse out of Deuteronomy that sheds pristine light on parenting: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on the heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." –Deuteronomy 6:5-7

One more from Deuteronomy for good measure: "Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but teach them thy sons, and thy son's sons." –Deuteronomy 4:9

Parenting responsibilities aren't an add-on or an extra credit activity.A father's instruction and a mother's teaching are to be integrated into all the functions and activities of daily life. Godly parents are modeling and discussing God's ways as they live. They use normal "stuff" of life as analogies to engraft Biblical truths bit by bit, line by line in little hearts as they grow.

Christ Jesus as an Example for Parents

When we consider the high value that Jesus places upon children, it should motivate us to do the same.

In the book of Mark, chapter 10, we see this beautiful moment in the life of Jesus and His disciples: "And they were bringing children to Him that He might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, 'Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly Isay to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of Oed like a child shall not enter it.' And He took them in His arms and blessed them, laying His hands on them."

The disciples didn't understand what was deeply and eternally important in that moment, and Jesus took the opportunity to demonstrate His love for children and their relevance to His kingdom.

Verses for Men in Parenting

Although our culture is sometimes dismissive of the importance of fathers, God NEVER is. He gives much emphasis to the responsibility and value of fathers in the lives of their children, more so than the mothers.

Fathers are to be faithful, leading their family to Christ, teaching children to honor the first commandment by honoring their parents, by choosing to not withhold discipline, and by choosing to honor God's word in everyday life, in decisions both great and small.

Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." With faithful instruction, a good father prepares his children for the future with diligence and kindness.

Ephesians 6:4 reminds Dads to be patient and gentle in this instruction: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the lord." And Colossians 3:21 gently reiterates this precise principle: "Fathers do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged."

More fuel for you Fathers: "A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke." –Proverbs 13:1. A wise father will be a loving source of wisdom and reproof, helping his children avoid the pitfalls of foolish choices. The statistics of men incarcerated, committing violent crimes, partaking in suicide, and becoming alcoholics is drastically affected by there not being a father in that man’s life.

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Verses for Young Women in Parenting

Proverbs 31 is justly renowned for its description of a faithful woman. Verses 25-28 detail: "Strength and dignity are her clothing and she laughs at the time to come, She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children ride up and call her blessed, and her husband also, and he praises her."

It is clear that diligence and wisdom are essential attributes of a good mother. A wise woman knows that her relationship with the Lord is the source of these strengths.

In the community of the body of Christ, we are greatly helped when we heed God's direction in our efforts. In the book of Titus, Paul exhorts the older women to exercise moderation and reverence and to "teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the war of God may not be reviled."

Proverbs 29:15: "The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother." Mothers are to prioritize the well-being and training of their children. This brings the peaceful fruit of obedience to the home, and blessing and safety to the children.

Conclusion

It’s not rocket science: God uses our family relationships to help us understand Him. Psalm 103:13 makes it plain: "As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him, for He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust." In the prophet Isaiah, the Lord compares His comfort towards us to the comfort we receive from our mother, "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you."--Isaiah 66:13

What a divine task: as we seek to honor God in our own household, raising up our children in the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit, we are a reflection of His love for them through us. The most important goal is that they would understand their need for a savior, repent of their sin, and become part of God's flock through salvation, gaining eternal life with the Lord in Heaven.

Parents: when the task seems overwhelming, encourage your heart with God's word, and remind yourself that He is a gentle Father, and will help you parent the children He has given into your care.

Some more Bible verses for your encouragement in your sacred task:

Proverbs 29:17: "Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest, yea, he shall give delight to thy soul."

Mathew 6:33-34: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Proverbs 22:15: "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him."

Philippians 4:6: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

As Joshua memorably said in Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!” May you echo that sentiment in your home, Parent. Trust Jesus for the grace and strength to bring up your children as Paul says, in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

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