To belong to God's family requires more than natural birth. God's children experience a new spiritual birth through faith in Jesus, the Son of God.

Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;


We are to love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.


Mat 22:37 - 40 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.


To honor one another is to show respect for one another.


honor = honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions: a code of honor. high respect


Husbands are to treat their wives with respect


1 Pet 3:7   Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.


 
Wives are to respect their husbands


Eph 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.


reverence = a feeling or attitude of deep respecttinged with awe;



Children are to respect parents


Eph 6:1 - 3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Parents are to discipline children while still showing respect and sensitivity for the child's emotional and spiritual needs.

Discipline is teaching healthy behaviors. The word discipline is derived from the Latin, discere, which means to learn. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary)


Punishment is giving negative consequences for a behavior after it has occurred.


Punishment is a behavior designed to stop a behavior. Punishment is derived from the Latin, punire, which is associated with causing pain.





Eph 6:4   And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.


nurture = to feed and protect or support and encourage


admonition =an act of admonishing. counsel, advice, or caution. a gentle reproof


Prov 1:8,9 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

The first and most important classroom in the school of life is the home. Both father and mother are expected to assume responsibility for training and nurturing the minds of children.

Note: That the words of the wisdom writer are addressed to the son rather than to the parents. The learner has a responsibility for attending to parental instruction.





Prov 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

"Instruction'' refers to a process of training in which the learner submits to the teaching and guidance of a wiser person. To benefit from such instruction, we must cultivate a teachable spirit and accept the discipline of firm guidance. The ultimate reward of such training will be a long and useful life.

Prov 3:1,2 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.


John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:


Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

To belong to God's family requires more than natural birth. God's children experience a new spiritual birth through faith in Jesus, the Son of God.

1 Th 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.


1 Pet 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:


Prov 3:28,29 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.


Mat 5:43,44 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;


Mark 12:32b, 33 for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.