"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" ( Ephesians 6:4). Parents have the God-given responsibility to bring up their children in such a way that their children will not be provoked to anger. But what does that mean?
It does not mean that parents should never do anything that makes our children angry. There are many good things that God expects parents to do that our children will not always understand and that may make them angry (ie. disciplining children Hebrews 12:4-12). We should do there! What God means is that parents should never behave in any inappropriate way that will provoke our children to wrath.
The one inappropriate behavior found in this text that parents are commanded to avoid is failing to bring up our children in the nurture and discipline of the Lord. The word translated bring them up in the KJV is only one word in the Greek (ektrepho). It is a compound word.
The root is from a verb meaning to nourish or feed (trepho). So the idea is to give children what they need to grow physically, mentally, socially, spiritually, and emotionally. The prefix is a preposition meaning to go out (ek). It is the word from which we get our English word exit. So the complete idea of the phrase bring them up is to nurture children in such a way that they will have the confidence to leave their family of origin and establish their own family system.
Children are to be brought up, "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Only the truths found in God's word can provide children with confidence and power to leave home in a healthy way and to establish a healthy family of their own. f Parents who are not helping their children establish a self-concept and self-esteem based on the truths of God are sinning.,
Notice also that fathers are the ones God is going to hold accountable for bringing up children: "And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath" - - - not mothers, not grandfathers, not grandmothers, not elders, not preachers, not the educational program of the church, and not the social welfare system - - - Fathers!
Father, are you bringing up your children in the Lord?