When Parents Fear The Lord, Their Children Benefit

Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.

  - Psalm 25:12-13 (ESV)

    A man that fears God has a teachable heart. He is the man that is 100% committed to walk in the of the Lord. This is the man whose decisions and actions are not guided by his own wisdom and understanding but instead relies on God's Word. His heart is fully surrendered to the control of the Holy Spirit. God will guide him into a good life for himself and his children. Note the condition by which this result comes: fear the Lord.

    To fear the Lord is NOT to be filled with terror, despair, and dread before him. This kind of fear drives us away from God. Godly fear is best described as "reverence". It is the convergence of awe, adoration, veneration, wonder, honor, worship, confidence, and thankfulness that arises from recognizing God for who he is. It is an acknowledgment of his transcendent qualities, his absolute authority, and his supreme value. This kind of fear draws us near to God.


    Our unrighteousness stems from the absence of the fear of God (Romans 3:18). We do not acknowledge God for who he is, we do not revere him. We exchanged his glory for idols, for things in this world that are of lesser worth. The gospel exposes our wickedness and opens our eyes to see our standing before God- that we are objects of His wrath (Romans 1:18). And we know that his punishment will be awful. But God, in his grace and mercy, reconciles us to himself through faith in Jesus Christ.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit.

- 1 Peter 1:18 (ESV)

   John Stott said, “Every time we look at the cross, Christ seems to say, ‘I am here because of you. It is your sin I am bearing, your curse I am suffering, your debt I am paying, your death I am dying.’ Nothing cuts us down to size like the cross. All of us have inflated views of ourselves, especially in self-righteousness, until we have visited a place called Calvary. It is there that we shrink to our true size.”

"If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared."

-Psalm 130:3-4 (ESV) 

The work of the gospel is to transform us from having no fear in God into a God-fearing child of God. The Spirit turns the heart of stone into a heart of flesh, with the law now written in our hearts, we will have a new spirit causing us to walk in his statutes and carefully obey his laws (Ezekiel 26:26).

But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.

-Psalm 103:17 (ESV)

   With the right understanding of godly fear, this passage now makes sense. The Lord's love is poured out and remains forever on those who fear him. Notice the blessing to the children and grandchildren. They will follow God and live uprightly as they keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. Again, note the condition by which this comes to fruition: fear the Lord.  

Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

-Psalm 112:1-2 (ESV)

    To fear the Lord is to enjoy God and delight in his commandments. What a great example for children to see their parents living in this way. They can imitate us as we follow Jesus Christ. They will have the correct understanding of the gospel and live accordingly and enjoy the blessing from God.

Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.

-Psalm 128:1-4 (ESV)

    Indeed, the Bible is very clear that when parents fear the Lord, their children benefit. This is why gospel-centered parenting is so crucial for parents to learn. We want the best for our kids. And that best is Jesus Christ.