Two Scriptual Examples of Parenting
The
Lord revealed through the Prophet Joseph the great responsibility that parents have
to teach their children. He said, “Inasmuch
as parents have children in Zion… that teach them not to understand the
doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of
baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when
eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents…. And they shall also teach their children to
pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord” (D&C 68:25, 28). Parents will be held accountable if they do
not teach their children the principles of the gospel and to “walk uprightly”
or keep the commandments of God. We have
an interesting contrast between two fathers in the scriptures relating to this
responsibility.
In 1 Samuel we read of Eli who had “sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:12). They committed great sins at the tabernacle, including sins of immorality, and Eli knew about it. Eli made a token effort to get them to stop, saying to them: “Why do ye such things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all this people” (1 Samuel 2:23). But in the Lord’s eyes it was not enough, and because he did not teach them as he should, Eli was guilty before God. Through Samuel the Lord said of Eli, “I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not” (1 Samuel 3:13). Eli and his sons died soon thereafter, showing that the Lord was indeed serious about His command for parents to teach their children to “walk uprightly” before Him. An interesting contrast to this story is that of Alma and his son Corianton. Like Eli’s sons, Corianton committed great immorality while he was supposed to be serving the Lord. The Lord had told Eli, “Thou honourest thy sons above me” but Alma clearly feared God more than his son (1 Samuel 2:29). He said to Corianton, “And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: Command thy children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many people to destruction; therefore I command you, my son, in the fear of God, that ye refrain from your iniquities” (Alma 39:12). Alma did not mince words with Corianton and called him to repentance without fear of offending Corianton. He knew that he would be responsible personally if he did not teach his son and exhort him to keep the commandments of God. Alma was not responsible for the actions of Corianton but he would have been if he hadn’t fulfilled his obligation to teach his son the ways of the Lord. In contrast to Eli’s words to his sons, Alma’s words seem almost harsh to Corianton, but as his father Alma knew the best way to encourage his son to see that gravity of his sins. And Alma had been in his shoes before as the rebellious son—he knew what was needed to help motivate Corianton to full repentance. Parents have to ultimately decide which example they will follow: will they fear offending God or offending their children more as they face their responsibility to teach and correct their children?
In 1 Samuel we read of Eli who had “sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:12). They committed great sins at the tabernacle, including sins of immorality, and Eli knew about it. Eli made a token effort to get them to stop, saying to them: “Why do ye such things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all this people” (1 Samuel 2:23). But in the Lord’s eyes it was not enough, and because he did not teach them as he should, Eli was guilty before God. Through Samuel the Lord said of Eli, “I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not” (1 Samuel 3:13). Eli and his sons died soon thereafter, showing that the Lord was indeed serious about His command for parents to teach their children to “walk uprightly” before Him. An interesting contrast to this story is that of Alma and his son Corianton. Like Eli’s sons, Corianton committed great immorality while he was supposed to be serving the Lord. The Lord had told Eli, “Thou honourest thy sons above me” but Alma clearly feared God more than his son (1 Samuel 2:29). He said to Corianton, “And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: Command thy children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many people to destruction; therefore I command you, my son, in the fear of God, that ye refrain from your iniquities” (Alma 39:12). Alma did not mince words with Corianton and called him to repentance without fear of offending Corianton. He knew that he would be responsible personally if he did not teach his son and exhort him to keep the commandments of God. Alma was not responsible for the actions of Corianton but he would have been if he hadn’t fulfilled his obligation to teach his son the ways of the Lord. In contrast to Eli’s words to his sons, Alma’s words seem almost harsh to Corianton, but as his father Alma knew the best way to encourage his son to see that gravity of his sins. And Alma had been in his shoes before as the rebellious son—he knew what was needed to help motivate Corianton to full repentance. Parents have to ultimately decide which example they will follow: will they fear offending God or offending their children more as they face their responsibility to teach and correct their children?
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