The father as prophet declares the Word of God, teaches it to his children, then judges according to it. Your child learns the character, law, and mercy of God as you act it out in his life. When you discipline, ask the child what he has done, declare the law, and then judge his act according to the law. God Himself ordains the prophet's office, setting us aside before we are formed in the womb, so it is not optional to us. From Moses to Isaiah, when God calls prophets they uniformly alibi with their lack of training, ability, and holiness, while God uniformly promises to supply whatever they need.
Watchful children judge our Word by our work.
Thanks be to God, our children partake of God's forgiveness toward our manifold failures. When we sin against them, against our wives, or against others, we must be quick to repent and ask pardon, so that even out of our stumbling our Christian example may bring redemption. But children can easily distinguish the faithful Christian from the hypocrite who mouths a standard of Christian obedience he will not follow himself. They will filter every word through the grid of your example, both inside and outside the family. Pictures Of Salvation Knowing that sin darkens our understanding, God gave us not only His written Word, but surrounds us also with pictures of Himself, instructing our hearts, minds, and wills through our senses.