My oldest child was born at 4:00 in the morning. I’ve always teased him about his inconvenient timing, but the truth is, time stood still when he arrived. That’s the kind of moment that changes you—especially when you’re stepping into Christian parenting for the first time. I was thrilled to be a father, but I was also scared to death.
As a man of faith, I wanted to parent with biblical values. But as a young dad, I wasn’t sure that I had what it takes to raise kids with Scripture as my guide. In a lot of ways, I was still wrestling with my own faith walk—and now I was responsible for leading this boy toward the Savior.
I’d like to think that I figured it out as time went on. That’s not to say I did everything perfectly. I made plenty of mistakes and had to issue plenty of apologies. But I learned to lean into Bible verses for parents because the Bible was the best source I found for becoming the best parent possible.
Where Christian parenting starts
As you think about parenting with biblical values, it’s helpful to get a handle on two truths from the start. First, you need to see your kids as gifts from God. Hopefully, you checked that box the first time you laid eyes on your son or daughter. But as they grow and the tough times come, dads have to reflect on the psalmist’s statement that kids “are indeed a heritage from the Lord, offspring, a reward (Psalm 127:3). A couple of verses later, he emphasized the point again, challenging parents to take joy in having a “quiver” filled with God-given arrows, ready to be launched into the world (Psalm 127:5).
Second, you need to remember that raising kids according to Scripture means being intentional about your own spiritual life. Simply put, you can’t be a Christian parent without being a Christian yourself. And, even if you’ve accepted Jesus’s offer of salvation, you can’t lead your family down spiritual paths you’ve never walked. So, for your children to reach their spiritual potential, you need to be growing in your faith alongside them.
The Bible’s take on parenting
One of the great things about God is that He cares about every area of our lives, and He has given us guidance and wisdom for life in His Word. That makes Bible verses on Christian parenting incredibly valuable for dads. Whether you’re still a rookie or a veteran of the fatherhood game, parenting with biblical values helps you keep your eye on the ball when the enemy might try to keep you on the bench.
The list below includes five biblical principles associated with parenting. Each of these truths are built on parenting Bible verses and offer a piece of the puzzle when it comes to God’s perspective on your role as a parent.
Parents are the primary spiritual mentors of their children
In one of his last speeches to the Israelites, Moses emphasized the role of parents—especially fathers—in the spiritual development of their kids (Deuteronomy 6:20-25). He urged God’s people to talk with their kids about what God had done and was doing in their lives. He challenged them to take ownership of their faith and to share their faith because that’s how children learn to own and share their faith. Make family devotions and praying for your kids a regular part of your parenting routine. Get involved with a body of believers and find mentors for you and your child. All of these are tools for parenting with biblical values.
Parents have a responsibility to discipline their kids
When it comes to Bible verses for parenting the book of Proverbs has a lot to say about discipline (Proverbs 13:24; 23:13-14; 29:15). And while it’s a tough topic for many dads, focusing on the example of our heavenly Father helps. He loves His kids enough to discipline us when we wander from His ways, and we grow from those uncomfortable experiences (Hebrews 12:7-11). So, discipline aimed at transformation—not punishment—can make all the difference in the world to our kids in the long run.
Parents are called to love their children well
A lot of couples have the “Love Chapter” (1 Corinthians 13) read during their wedding ceremony. And while the principles outlined in that chapter are important for marriages, the value of unconditional love in Christian parenting relationships can’t be overstated either. If we’re going to raise kids with Scripture as our guide, we have to learn how to love them well—even when that’s a hard ask. Our kids need to know that we have their back, ready to celebrate the victories and to show grace during the failures. That’s how God loves us, and it’s how He calls us to love our children.
Parents need to put a guard on their speech
In moments of frustration, it’s easy to say things to our kids that we’d never say to anyone else. And our kids pay a high price for the words we don’t mean and quickly regret. Again, Proverbs is a great go-to resource for Bible verses about parenting through our speech. For example, Proverbs 15:1 was always popular around my house as the kids were growing up: “A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.” As we focus on parenting with biblical values, we can’t afford to let our words get in the way.
Parents focus on the future, as well as the present
As human beings, we are all works in progress. In fact, Paul said that we are God’s “workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10), a word that suggests an artistic masterpiece in the original Greek language. But it’s going to take a lifetime for us to arrive at a finished product. As a dad, you get to be a part of God’s purposes for your kids. As my friend Meredith likes to say, we have a front row seat. So, parent with an eye on who your kids are and who they are becoming. Proverbs 22:6 says to raise them in the way they should go—their passions and what motivates them. After all, if our kids fulfill God’s plan for their lives (see Jeremiah 1:5), we know we’ve done our job well as parents.
The biggest truth about biblical parenting
As stated, all of the principles listed above are based on biblical truth. Some specifically relate to Bible verses on parenting, while others draw from broader commands of Scripture. But as great as each of them is, they pale in comparison to the biggest thing you need to remember about parenting with biblical values: You can’t do it alone.
Here’s what I mean . . . think back to the early chapters of the Christmas story. An angel came to Mary and told her she was going to have a son. In her mind, she knew this didn’t add up biologically. So, she asked how it would work.
The angel gave her the answer she needed, but he added one important point at the end: “Nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). While you’re not parenting the Messiah, raising kids according to Scripture can be pretty daunting at times. But you’re not in this alone. With God, nothing is impossible—including this!
He has placed these children under your care for His purposes. He doesn’t make mistakes, and He didn’t make one with you and your kids. He’s given you the job, and He will equip you to complete the job for His glory. You just need to lean into His help and trust Him completely.
He won’t let you fail.
