What does the Biblical worldview have to say about the father’s role and the impact he has spiritually and morally in the heritage of his children? This writer submits that the spiritual foundation of the family has been established by God to be the father. The role of passing on the fear of the Lord impacts the future generation so greatly, that even his or her initial view of God is tainted by the relationship of the father to the child.
It is the father that God holds responsible for
the generation of the children to come for the spiritual training in the Lord
(Deut. 6:4-9). In fact, God regards the importance of the father’s role so
great that He is going to bless generations or curse generations according to
the relationship He has with their fathers (Deut. 5:8-10).
The sins of the father would impact the children
and the children after them; this is how serious fatherhood is to God. Not
only can one impact their children for God, but also they can influence their
child away from God. Farrar explains that the Puritan families of America were
a great example of Biblical fatherhood and were very dependent on the role of
the father. The father’s role in the Puritan home was one of teaching moral
issues in regards to the rearing of the children. Attending church every Sunday
was routine, however, the other six days of the week the father had the role of
the minister of the family.
The most important job that a father has is to
teach a healthy fear of the Lord to their children. If the father does not do
this, then the children will not have reverence for God, which produces a
lifestyle not devoted to God .
R. Albert Mohler mentions that the feminist
movement and the culture change in our society causes boys to have a difficult
time defining manhood. This type of movement will impact
the Biblical outlook of boys growing up to be men. Mohler goes on to say, that we now face
the phenomenon of perpetual boyhood on the part of many males. Refusing to grow
up, these young men function as boys well into their 20s — some even into their
30s and beyond. An extended male adolescence marks the lifestyles, expectations,
and behavior of far too many young males, whose masculine identity is embraced
awkwardly, if at all.
Dads acting like children have caused this society
to head in the direction of being fatherless. How then are they supposed to
pass down to their children the laws and decrees of the Lord their God if they
themselves are not following them and are not putting away childlike behavior?
1 Corinthians13:11 says, “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a
child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish
things (NASB).”
Fathers, your job is one of great responsibility that
unfortunately may not have been passed down to you by your father. Even
so, it is clear in the Biblical text, God will hold the fathers accountable to
the rearing of the children. Why not make this Father’s Day the beginning of
a new outlook of Fatherhood. Being the dad that God expects of you is sacrificial work, but then again this is what Christ has done for us. He sacrificed everything for us. It’s never too late to start being a
great dad and your kids and wife will be grateful for it. Happy Father’s Day weekend, dads. I
know you can do it! I am praying for you.
Thank you for taking the time to read my contemplations.
With Respect and Love,
©Darla J. Smith
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