The Call to Biblical Parenting

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” – Ephesians 6:1

There is no greater responsibility given to parents than the command to raise their children in the fear and instruction of the Lord. From the very beginning, God established the family as the foundation of society, the primary means through which His truth would be passed down from generation to generation. Marriage was the first human relationship, ordained by God, and from that sacred union, children were meant to be nurtured and discipled in His ways.

In Ephesians 6:1-4, Paul speaks directly to the order God has designed for the family. Children are commanded to obey and honor their parents, and parents, particularly fathers, are given the weighty task of raising their children under the discipline and instruction of the Lord. These words are not mere suggestions, they are divine mandates that hold eternal significance. Yet, in our modern world, this biblical design is increasingly challenged.

Many voices today argue that children should be left to form their own beliefs about religion, free from parental influence until they are “old enough” to decide for themselves. The claim is that teaching faith imposes bias, suppresses independence, and prevents children from making objective decisions about spiritual matters. But is this truly wisdom? Or is it yet another deception of a world that seeks to diminish God’s authority in the home?

If parents do not teach their children truth, the world will teach them lies. If parents do not disciple their children, culture will. There is no neutral ground.

The Household Code of Ephesians
Paul’s instructions in Ephesians 6:1-4 are not isolated commands; they are part of a larger passage in Ephesians 5:22–6:9, which outlines God’s design for relationships within the Christian home. The structure of this section flows from a central principle given in Ephesians 5:21: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

This passage establishes a divine order in the household: Wives submit to their husbands, as the Church submits to Christ (Eph. 5:22-24). Husbands love their wives, as Christ loves the Church (Eph. 5:25-33). Children obey their parents, as obedience to parents reflects obedience to God (Eph. 6:1-3). Fathers disciple their children, mirroring the way God disciplines His own (Eph. 6:4).

The family unit was designed to function under the lordship of Christ. It is not an institution of man but an ordinance of God, created to reflect His order, His love, and His authority. When families function as God intended, they are a living testimony of the Gospel.

The responsibility given to parents, then, is nothing less than a holy calling. Raising children is not simply about keeping them well-fed and well-educated. It is about shepherding their souls, leading them to Christ, and preparing them for eternity.

The Lies of the World vs. The Truth of Scripture
Despite the clarity of Scripture, modern culture has aggressively opposed biblical parenting, replacing it with a philosophy that encourages autonomy over obedience, self-discovery over instruction, and personal truth over absolute truth. One of the most common arguments is that children should be left to determine their own spiritual beliefs without parental influence. The idea is that faith should be something they “choose” rather than something they are “taught.” But this argument collapses under its own weight.

No parent would say, “I’ll let my child decide whether or not to brush their teeth when they’re older” or “I’ll let them figure out on their own whether running into traffic is dangerous.” Parents naturally train their children in every other area of life, understanding that they lack the maturity to make wise decisions on their own. Why, then, should faith, the most important aspect of life, be the one area where parents remain silent?

The truth is, a child’s heart and mind are never neutral. Albert Barnes states that just as an untended garden becomes overgrown with weeds, so too does a child’s heart if left without biblical instruction. It will not remain empty; it will be filled by whatever influences are strongest in their environment.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6

If parents do not train their children, culture will. If parents do not instruct in truth, others will instruct in deception. There is no such thing as a spiritually neutral upbringing, every child is being shaped by something.

Raising children is not a task for the faint of heart, but neither is it a burden to be carried alone. God, in His wisdom, has given parents everything they need to raise their children well, His Word, His Spirit, and His church.

Biblical parenting is not about control, it is about discipleship. It is about leading children to know, love, and obey God. It is about modeling Christ, nurturing faith, and preparing them to stand firm in a world that will challenge their beliefs at every turn.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” – 3 John 4