Responsibilities for Fathers
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
First Baptist Church of Oak Creek Wisconsin
Responsibilities
of Fathers.06152013
Text:
Proverbs 4
“Hear, ye
children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2 For
I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved
in the sight of my mother. 4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine
heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.” Proverbs 4:1-4
Introduction
Twenty-four times the phrase "my
son" occurs in Proverbs. In all but one instance it is a father (David
or Solomon) giving instruction to their sons. Here are just a just a few verses
to give you a flavor of the advice given –
Proverbs 1:8 “My
son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy
mother:”
Proverbs 1:10 “My
son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”
Proverbs 3:11 “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither
be weary of his correction:”
Proverbs 5:1 “My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear
to my understanding:”
Proverbs 23:26 “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe
my ways.”
Proverbs 24:21 “My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and
meddle not with them that are given to change:”
There
are many good things that a father should teach his children from Proverbs.
Proverbs 4 points out some basic responsibilities for fathers.
·
A Father is Responsible to Provide Instruction To His Children
·
A Father Is Responsible To Require Obedience
·
A Father Is
Responsible To Motivate The Child
·
A Father Is Responsible To Teach Right Direction
·
A Father Is Responsible To Teach Right Speech
·
A Father Is
Responsible To Teach The Child To Think
Focus
·
The father is responsible to provide instruction to his children
“Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father…”
v.1
Since
children are directed to “hear”
their father’s instruction, it should go without saying the father IS to guide and teach them. The Apostle Paul says, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to
wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4
A. What Is To Be The Basis of
guiding and teaching them?
The answer is found in verse 2 – “For I give you good doctrine….” Dads have the
key responsibility for teaching their children doctrine, that is the Christian
belief system. You need to teach them what you believe and tell them why your
believe it and then live it in front of them!
It is NOT enough to just sent them to church
or even take them to church. They MUST see faith in practice in your life!
Dad’s do your children see and hear you
praying. Have you taught them to pray? Do they see you reading and studying the
Bible? Do they hear you pray for lost souls or heard you tell of witnessing to
someone?
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of
you feeding your children the Scriptures and then encouraging them to be in the
Scriptures themselves.
Turn to 2 Timothy
3:15-17 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which
are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto
all good works.”
If you are in the Word of God and you see that your
children are in the Word of God their moral compass will be programmed by the
Word of God.
A
father is responsible to instruct his children. The cornerstone of the
instruction is to be biblical Doctrine.
·
The Father Is Responsible to Require Obedience
Proverbs 4:4 “He
taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.”
It
is not enough to give commandments.
You must require obedience
and if obedience is not forthcoming, there needs to be consequences.
Proverbs 3:1 “My
son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
It has been said that a Country that does not
enforce its laws breeds lawlessness. Likewise, a father that does not enforce
his laws breed rebellion. Certainly the command is “Children, obey your
parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” Colossians 3:20 And if they do obey, “Chasten thy son
while there is hope…” Proverbs 19:18
Children who are left to
themselves bring reproach and shame on their parents! Proverbs 29:15 “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but
a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”
·
The Father Is
Responsible To Motivate The Child
Proverbs 4:5-7 “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it
not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and she
shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore
get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”
A
father is to be a teacher! It takes time to be a teacher, but you need to teach
your children practical things about life and living! Manners, personal
hygiene, how to behave in different situations. The “how to” list: How to ride
a bike. How to use tools. How to swim, hunt, fish, how to treat others, etc.
Guys need to learn how to treat a lady and what to look for in a wife. Girls
need to learn how to behave properly and what to look for in a husband.
Further,
a father promotes right education! When my granddad was young 8th
grade was enough. When my dad graduated, high school was enough. I am here to
tell you, you need training beyond high school in either a trade or college.
·
The Father Is Responsible To Teach Right Direction
Proverbs 4:14-19 “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in
the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass
away. 16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is
taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of
wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the just is
as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19 The
way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.”
Mrs.
Brown and I would use life examples to teach righteousness and to illustrate
the end of wickedness.
·
A Father Is Responsible To Teach Right Speech
Proverbs 4:24 “Put away from thee a forward [deceitful;
distorted] mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.”
“What is in the well of the heart
will come up through the bucket of the mouth.” A dad must be sure he speaks
with integrity, not deceitfully or in a foul, slanderous way.
·
A Father Is
Responsible To Teach The Child To Think
Proverbs 4:26-27 “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be
established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot
from evil.”
You
need to teach your children common sense! Teach them NOT to make decisions
based on emotions. Teach them to think through situations. What are the positives?
What are the negatives? What are the long range implications? Far too many
people are impulsive and make wrong decisions because they have no idea how to
reason properly.
I
am praying for you dads! Your children need you. Take these responsibilities
seriously.
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