arents have five duties toward their children: (1) to feed and provide for them, (2) to love them, (3) to protect them, (4) to teach them, and (5) to discipline them. In today's world, there are parents who do not have even one of these qualities. Children raised in such families tend to grow up harsh and of bad character. Some parents know only how to provide for and love their children, indulging their every desire while never teaching or disciplining them. Children from such households also become rough and fearless, often bringing disgrace to their parents in front of others. And if a parent only disciplines without showing love, the children too tend to become harsh. Every parent should provide for, love, teach, and protect their children, and discipline them when necessary because children raised in such families tend to become gentle and understanding.

Just as biological parents have the above duties toward their children, spiritual parents also have duties toward their spiritual children. Today's gospel ministers, though they give birth to spiritual children everywhere, fail to feed, nurture, and discipline them, so many spiritual orphans arise, becoming a poor testimony before unbelievers and bringing disgrace upon the glory of God. Therefore, I wish to emphasize the importance of lifting up and nurturing spiritual children.

Feeding and Providing

Every living thing must eat to grow. Without food, not only can it not grow, but it can even die. Spiritually, the food of the spirit is the Word of God. Just as a baby knows how to suckle milk on its own, spiritual parents must feed their spiritual children the spiritual food. To help the spiritual children develop a scripture-reading habit, parents should read with them daily. In natural world, when you feed, growth does not happen overnight; it happens imperceptibly. Likewise, regular reading of Scripture may not produce immediate spiritual growth, but it will develop gradually. Therefore, spiritual parents have the duty to teach their children to regularly eat the food of the Word.

Love

The same way children are hungry for their parents' love, spiritual parents must know that spiritual children are hungry for love. Paul shows in his letters how he loved and missed his spiritual children. To the Philippians he wrote: "For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:8), and to the Thessalonians he wrote: "We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us." (1 Thessalonians 2:8).

Protecting

Children do not know dangers. Therefore, parents must protect them. The younger the child, the more protection is needed. Young children spend about 10 feet around their mother 24 hours a day. The older they grow, the farther they drift from their parents, and when they reach adulthood, they often fly far away. Likewise, spiritual children need their spiritual parents to protect them especially when they are young. We see that even Christ protected his disciples like a wall when the Pharisees accused them (Mark 2:23-28).

Teaching

Some parents love their children so much that they do everything for them without asking or commanding, so the children never develop patience. Without their parents, they cannot cook or do things and they suffer. Such parents do not truly love their children. Since parents will not live with their children forever, they must teach them according to their age and also entrust duties to them. Spiritual children must also be taught how to read the Scripture, how to pray, how to bear witness, how to give, and how to grow and develop.

Disciplining

Parents must discipline their children. Discipline is necessary because of disobedience or wrongdoing. Children who need no discipline and are naturally wise are few. When children do wrong and do not listen, if you do not discipline them, it is as if you are endorsing their wrongdoing. Therefore, the longer this goes on, the greater their wrongdoing will become. Likewise, spiritual children need discipline when they are inappropriate, lazy, or do not listen. We must also discipline one another. Paul publicly rebuked Peter, who was a follower of Christ before him, in front of everyone (Galatians 2:11-14).

Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia: "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified." (Galatians 3:1). If it were only spoken by Paul, it would not remain until today; but because he wrote to them, this letter will endure until the end of the world. This letter is very troubling for those who are responsible.

When King Saul only half-listened to the word of God in the campaign against the Amalekites, God said through Samuel that He would reject him. At that time, Saul said to Samuel: "I have sinned...Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.” (1 Samuel 15:30). Though Saul repented, he could not bear the shame before the people.

When King David killed Uriah and took his wife Bathsheba, though no one could discipline him, when God disciplined him through the prophet Nathan, he did not become angry at the prophet. David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." (2 Samuel 12:13). Therefore, the Lord gave him peace. When he took a census against God's will, and fifty thousand seven hundred men died, he said, "Surely I, the shepherd, have sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house.”" (2 Samuel 24:1). Therefore, when receiving discipline, one should not feel ashamed or hurt.

"And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.  Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live? Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:5-11). It is said that discipline brings peace and uprightness.

"Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction." (2 Timothy 4:2), Paul wrote to Timothy. 

He also wrote: "But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin." (1 Timothy 5:20).

In today's world, not only is faith growing weak, but because there are so many denominations, people no longer dare to exercise discipline in the Church. Their reasoning is that if they discipline someone, that person may move to another church, so they worry. Therefore, they excuse themselves, saying that no one is perfect, and are content with that.

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