Solemn Responsibility

                We can strengthen our families, communities, and nations by studying the document titled “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” and by following its precepts. One way to study the proclamation is one paragraph at a time. This is the seventh article in this series.

                The sixth paragraph of the proclamation states, “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. ‘Children are an heritage of the Lord’ (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. 

Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.”

                This prophetic teaching clearly states that a husband and a wife have a responsibility to love and care for each other and their children. This responsibility includes physical and spiritual responsibilities as well as other ones. Some specific duties and responsibilities of parents are to teach the gospel to their children, provide physical needs, and to rear children in love. Some specific duties of children are to learn from their parents, be obedient, and to help each other.

                This paragraph in the proclamation on the family says the same thing but uses different words as a revelation received nearly 200 years ago. “And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents.”

                As you study the sixth paragraph of the proclamation, you may want to share what you learn in a family home evening. This site has a wonderful family home evening program all outlined with lesson, music, activity, and refreshments. I hope you will use this outline and strengthen your family, community, and nation by understanding the doctrine that life is mortal life is created by God, sacred, and important to God’s plan for our eternal happiness.