Christian Parenting: Modeling the Gospel

The parents’ duty, is in effect to live out the gospel to the child: that is, to assure their children that they are loved and accepted and valued for who they are, not for who they ought to be, should have been, or might become. Obedience must never be made the condition of parental love; a love so conditioned would not deserve the name. When the parent is obedient to the vocation of genuine love, the child’s obedience may become, like that of the Christian to God, a glad and loving response. Such obedience is pleasing to the Lord (N.T. Wright).