Matthew 10:34-38 NIV records, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “ ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.10.34-38.NIV

I am increasingly disturbed by the number of older Christians I know who have compromised their original commitment to the plain word of God and its truth because their children have gone astray and live ungodly lives. Most of these children are somehow engaged in the LGBTQ movement and its various manifestations. They then become pro-abortion advocates and anti-Americans, blaming the West for all the problems in the world. Sin is the world’s problem. Truth in Jesus, truth from God’s word, is the remedy to sin upon surrender to His authority. Permissive parenting is a big explanation for these children feeling the freedom to do whatever they please and failing to surrender wholly to God and His Word. Passive fathers not diligently teaching and even insisting upon God’s standard is another major cause of rebellion among children. Finally, the children themselves, born sinful, choose to remain in their sin regardless of the teaching, modeling, and even discipline they have received. Jesus, God Himself, warns us that His call to unequivocal obedience, surrender to His will, belief in His work, and hope in His resurrection will cause division in our families. We must love God more than our children. This doesn’t mean severing relationships, but it may mean treating them like pagans by loving them from a distance and taking a stand against their behaviors when they seek to bring that into our homes. Rebuking their thinking when they want to justify their beliefs that are based not on God’s word but on the lies they have embraced through social media, journalism, and the educational institutions of our nation. The Father Himself rejected His Son when He turned from Him to punish Him for all the sins of all those who turn back to the Son for forgiveness for those sins. It is hard to stand with Jesus first and sometimes alone, but it is necessary for the salvation of our own souls.

I invite you to engage my book MAN Up! A guide to restoring Biblical manhood for helping you father or become the father God desires for the training of His children.