parents Archives - Plain Bible Teaching

Andy Sochor June 24, 2026

Put Away Childish Things

As one moves from childhood to adulthood, various changes occur in one’s physical body, relationships, responsibilities, maturity, knowledge, wisdom, and so on. However, many people do not want to grow up and put away childish things, whether that be in the form of a refusal to take on adult responsibilities or a reluctance to outgrow childhood obsessions (like toys and entertainment).

Paul used this basic principle of growth and maturity as an analogy for our spiritual lives.

“When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

In this article, we will consider some “childish things” we are to put away from a spiritual standpoint.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: false teachers, growth, maturity, parents, revelation, understanding

Andy Sochor May 20, 2020

Remember the Lawgiver

After delivering the Israelites from Pharaoh and their bondage in Egypt, God gave them the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17). These commandments served as a foundation for the rest of the law.

Yet in a sense, this foundation also had a foundation. The Ten Commandments provided the basis for the law, but the only reason the law mattered was because of the one who gave the law. So who was the lawgiver? That was God. They needed to understand this in order to appreciate the importance of the laws that were given. They were reminded of this in the “preface” to the Ten Commandments:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2).

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: authority, elders, God, government, law, obedience, parents

Andy Sochor March 18, 2014

Bringing Up Children in the Lord (Part 5): Raising Children in a Wicked World

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).

It would be difficult to find a society that was as corrupt as the one in the days of Noah. This society was so wicked that “every intent” of man was “only evil continually.” This degree of wickedness caused God to be “sorry that He had made man” and decide to “blot out man…from the face of the earth” (Genesis 6:6-7). Yet Noah found favor with the Lord because he was righteous (Genesis 6:8-9). He raised three sons in this wicked world (Genesis 6:10) and they were saved with their father.

Is it possible to successfully raise children in a wicked world? Yes! It has been done before and can be done again. However, that does not mean it will be easy. Parents must be diligent and trust in God’s plan, no matter how corrupt the world becomes.
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Filed Under: SERIES: Bringing Up Children in the Lord Tagged With: children, family, friendship, home, parenting, parents, peer pressure, priorities, sin, society, temptation, work, worry

Andy Sochor March 11, 2014

Bringing Up Children in the Lord (Part 4): Training Children

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

The training of children is done in two ways – by instruction (teaching them what is right) and by discipline (punishing them for doing what is wrong). Parents must take their responsibility to train their children seriously. Failing to train children in the right way will bring shame upon the parents. The wise man said, “The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother” (Proverbs 29:15). So let us consider how parents ought to train their children.
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Filed Under: SERIES: Bringing Up Children in the Lord Tagged With: children, discipline, instruction, parenting, parents

Andy Sochor February 25, 2014

Bringing Up Children in the Lord (Part 3): Parents As Role Models

“A righteous man who walks in his integrity—how blessed are his sons after him” (Proverbs 20:7).

When we think about raising children, we might immediately think of training them. This is done through instruction and discipline. We will consider this more in the next lesson. However, what we will deal with in this lesson is necessary to lay the foundation for the next. Parents must teach by example – walking in integrity (Proverbs 20:7) – so that their children can see the way of righteousness in practice. If parents fail to do this, children will eventually come to see them as hypocrites, thus making the parents’ instruction seem to be irrelevant. Parents must “practice what they preach.” Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We must let our lights shine, especially to our children.
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Filed Under: SERIES: Bringing Up Children in the Lord Tagged With: assembly, authority, children, church, example, government, home, parenting, parents, pattern, sacrifice, work

Andy Sochor February 11, 2014

Bringing Up Children in the Lord (Part 1): The Gift of Children

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:3-5).