Relationship of Parents to Children

In this part of the sermon: Martin reviews the equality of husband and wife in creative dignity, native depravity, and redemptive privilege. He then distinguishes this from the structural order within the…

The analogy of societal rulers and subjects is used to explain how equality as creatures does not negate structural differences in relationships, applying this to the husband-wife dynamic.

However, when we come into the structure of the home, a new relationship exists. And we see the parallel of this in every other area. Viewed simply as creatures, no man is any better than any other man in relationship to God. He hath made of one blood, we read in Acts 17.

8:07 - 8:29 Read in full sermon

Driving home: What he needs to be told is that he is to rule in the climate and context of love. A love that has as its pattern nothing less than the love of Christ to his church.

Martin reads a commentary by Lenski on Ephesians 5, summarizing the husband's responsibility to love his wife as Christ loved the church, highlighting the restoration of divine order in marriage through Christianity.

Wives, husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church. He loved it realistically. he knew what it was and yet he set his love upon it he loved it sacrificially he gave himself for the church he loved it purposely that he might do something with it he had a purpose in his love he loved it absolutely even unto the giving of himself well we closed on that note last week and just as a beautiful summary in a very short way let me read from the new set of commentaries that i just got from england as the banner of truth's presentation to me in appreciation for my ministry at the lester conferen...

14:12 - 15:36 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: After a brief review, Martin transitions to the parent-child relationship, emphasizing children as the 'fruit of their union' and God's 'official stamp of the truth that the two…

The child is presented as God's permanent stamp of the 'one flesh' union, even in divorce, illustrating the enduring nature of the marital bond through offspring.

that began to get my wheels turning along this line, in which an author said, even though man may seek to dissolve the relationship of the two being one, God has a way of making it so permanent in their children. Here's a husband and wife joined together in that total intimacy, expressed in the sexual union. The fruit of that is a child that is, in reality, one thing that is the fusion of the two. Now, they get divorced, and they say, oh, well, the two are no longer one. But what do you do with that child? Do you unchild it? Do you send it back into sperm and ovum? No, you can't, you see. And ...

18:36 - 19:24 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: After a brief review, Martin transitions to the parent-child relationship, emphasizing children as the 'fruit of their union' and God's 'official stamp of the truth that the two…

Martin shares a personal reflection while watching his daughter Beth sleep, realizing she is a fusion of himself and his wife, symbolizing their oneness.

the fruit of that union is God saying to every parent, when they hold the little child, that they shall be one. See how one, much one you are? Look at the fruit of your oneness. And as I was taking a nap last Sunday afternoon with Beth, and I woke up before she did, I just lay there and I looked at her with this thought going through my mind, and I think I was gripped in a new way with the marvel and the wonder of this. I said, what is that little creature there? That's my wife. That's me. But it's Beth, stamped for eternity, indicating that the two shall be one.

19:24 - 20:04 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Parents are, by the constitution of things, and in an important sense, mediators between God and their children for a time. What you give them, they receive. What you tell them, they believe.

The metaphor of a 'consensus administrator' is used to describe a wrong view of parenthood, where parents cater to children's likes and dislikes rather than God's will.

It's because parents do not know, what has God made me by making me a mama? A mama and a papa. Am I to be a little consensus administrator? That is, I come to my children and find out their likes and dislikes, and on the basis of that, I seek to order the home to conform to what they want?

21:32 - 21:58 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Parents are, by the constitution of things, and in an important sense, mediators between God and their children for a time. What you give them, they receive. What you tell them, they believe.

The metaphor of a 'glorified horn of plenty' describes another wrong view of parenthood, where parents simply provide whatever the child needs or wants without spiritual direction.

Well, that's what a lot of people think God has constituted them, little consensus administrators. Others think that God has constituted them a sort of a glory, a glory of justice. Well that's not true. glorified, what would I call it, just a glorified horn of plenty. Whatever the child needs, you're there to simply make sure that you turn the big end of the funnel and everything pours out and lays there for them to take it. If it's love, you're the horn of plenty of love. It's forbearance and indulgence. If it's money, if it's clothes, if it's college, that's what you are. Well, is that what ...

21:58 - 23:03 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Parents are, by the constitution of things, and in an important sense, mediators between God and their children for a time. What you give them, they receive. What you tell them, they believe.

Martin quotes Stephen's Perry on parents as 'mediators between God and their children for a time,' emphasizing their role in conveying God's will and needs.

Let me read a statement by a writer of bygone days in which he says, quoting from Stephen's Perry, Life Lessons from the Book of Proverbs, Parents are, by the constitution of things, and in an important sense, mediators between God and their children for a time. What you give them, they receive. What you tell them, they believe. It is a sweet employment and an honorable place to be mediators for our children, bearing up to God their children, and to their need and bringing down to them God's will.

24:35 - 25:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Accept the responsibility that God has constituted you a prophet to your children and work it out faithfully, knowing you will be held accountable.

The analogy of looking at life 'through the glasses of holy truth' is used to explain how parents' prophetic ministry constructs their children's worldview.

And then he goes on to expand that. He says, by that I mean that at every point where the children turn in the totality of their life experience, when they're sitting down in the house, the normal social activities of the home, when they're going to bed, when you're out for a walk, in every aspect of life, they are to be confronted with what God says about that aspect of life. And this is to be done through the instrumentality of the parent. In other words, the child is to grow up looking at life through the glasses of holy truth, and the way those glasses are constructed is by the careful, co...

28:18 - 29:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Be prepared to assume your mediatorial role as a king administering the rule of God in your home, without fear or squeamishness.

The analogy of a king who trembles at subjects' grumbling is used to rebuke parents who are afraid to exercise their God-given kingly authority in the home.

They're afraid to assume their kingly rule. Jumping every time the children whimper. Jumping every time the children balk. Squirming and squeamish when the children frown.

36:31 - 36:46 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The overarching task of parents, summarized by Proverbs 22:6, is to 'train up a child in the way he should go,' meaning to prepare them for the totality of life's experiences…

Martin humorously compares his words being recorded on tape ('embalmed in oxide') to authors' words being 'embalmed in printer's ink,' highlighting the permanence of his spoken words.

It's terrible to have everything you say embalmed in the... What goes on those tapes, Paul?

53:16 - 53:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not allow your children to think that any area of life is not touched upon by the word of God; seek to exclude influences contrary to God's revealed will.

Martin quotes Mr. Perry on parents' choice to make home life more attractive than street life, or risk their children's ruin, emphasizing the family's powerful influence for good.

Parents must make their choice. They must either make the home life and the home lessons, the home love and the home pleasures more attractive, more winning than the street life, the street lessons and the street friendships and the street amusements, or else they need not wonder at the ruin of their sons and daughters. God has given to parents a mighty instrument for good in the family relationship, and if they will not avail themselves of its means, they cannot blame Providence when their children fall beneath the power of vice. Can young men or young women be blamed for the neglect of their...

63:28 - 64:12 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Parents must consciously labor at a balanced and proportionate influence across all areas of a child's development, mirroring Jesus' growth in wisdom, stature, and favor with God…

Martin wishes the audience could be a pastor for a month to see the 'twisted adults' who are inadequate for relationships due to lack of proper parental influence.

And you see, what you and I are doing as parents, we are inevitably, by the sheer force of the succession of day upon day, month upon month, year upon year, and by the sheer natural laws of physical development, we are hastening to the time when we're going to push the children out of this circle and they're going to establish their own. But are we pushing them out prepared to establish that circle? I wish I could let you be a pastor. I wish I could let you be a pastor.

64:38 - 65:04 Read in full sermon

The point: Create a climate of openness about spiritual things in your home, seizing opportunities to impress spiritual lessons upon your children.

Jesus washing the disciples' feet is used as an example of informal, powerful teaching moments that parents should seize in a climate of openness about spiritual things.

Even as our Lord in his ministry with the disciples. Some of the most precious lessons were triggered by the occasion of the moment. He hears them arguing about who's going to be greatest in the kingdom. So he girds a towel around them and picks up a basin and they say, what in the world is he doing?

71:27 - 71:45 Read in full sermon

The point: If appointing substitutes for any area of your child's development (e.g., education), ensure they closely reflect biblical views.

Martin shares a story about his son Joel correcting a Walt Disney narrator for saying 'nature' instead of 'God did it,' illustrating the fruit of spiritual training.

for any area of this development my substitute must as closely reflect the biblical views that i am imposing upon my children as is humanly possible if i were developing the child's mind exclusively in the home and i were seeking to get him to appreciate the beauty of the world about him what i tell him this is nature and that's nature of course not i wouldn't insult god that way any more than when a beautiful meal is finished and i'm not going to insult god that way i'd say well it put it on the table my wife would get mad and kick her shoe at me and rightly so well nature is just an it and w...

79:43 - 81:02 Read in full sermon

The point: If appointing substitutes for any area of your child's development (e.g., education), ensure they closely reflect biblical views.

Martin recounts someone's concern that his son might just be imitating his prayer, to which Martin implies that imitation is a good starting point for participation.

day something about you know said i heard your son pray and he said i'm afraid he may be just imitating you i didn't say anything at the time but i felt like saying well who do you expect him to imitate i hope he imitates me that's why i better be careful i'm praying scripture maybe someday the imitation will become participation

81:02 - 81:20 Read in full sermon