Our Future Children's Rules:

I typed up these rules with verses for each one. Each rule has a biblical basis, and these simple rules cover most everything you can imagine. Even spoken rules are covered under "Obey your parents"...I want my children to know there's a reason for them being punished, and that that reason is because we love them and want the best for them. I also did a little outline of why we have these rules at the bottom so they know we're not just doing it for the reason every child thinks they're getting punished..."You hate me!" is one I've heard over and over again. I will be printing these up and framing them for the wall somewhere in the house...probably in our family meeting place.

Here's what the rules are:

·         Obey God’s Commands – John 14:23 – “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

·         Don’t use God’s name in vain – Deut. 5:11 – “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold [him] guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”

·         Don’t put anything or anyone before God – Deut 5:8 – “Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:”

·         Obey Your Parents – Eph. 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.”

·         Don’t take things that do not belong to you – Deut. 5:19 “Neither shalt thou steal.”

·         Don’t lie – Deut 5:20 “Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.”

·         Don’t complain about having to do something you’re told to do – Phil 2:14 “Do all things without murmurings and disputings:”

·         Be Happy With what you have and don’t want for worldly things you can’t have – Phil 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”, Deut. 5:21 “Neither shalt thou desire…any thing that is thy neighbour's.”, I John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”, Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

·         Be Kind to others and forgive them – Eph. 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

            We understand you are not perfect (Romans 3:23), but we desire for you to be as Christ-like as possible (Phil 2:5.) We are commanded, as your parents, to: 1. chastize out of love (Proverbs 13:24); 2. not spare the rod (Proverbs 23:13); 3. Train up our children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6.) And remember, even if we don’t see you or “catch” you, God sees you, cares for you, and will chastise you for doing wrong because He loves you. (I Peter 3:12-17 and Proverbs 3:12.)

·         Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”

·         Phil 2:5 – “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”

·         Proverbs 13:24 – He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

·         Proverbs 23:13 - Withhold not correction from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

·         Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

·         I Peter 3:12-17 – “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.”

·         Proverbs 3:12 – “For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”