“Train up a child……” – what does it mean? Pro 22:6:
Deut 11:18-21; Pro 20:27; Ephs 6:4; Col 3:17
Notice, Solomon, in the inspiration of our blessed Holy Spirit, said “Train”, not “teach”.
Herein is a marvelous manifestation of our Father’s infinite, Sovereign, Omnisciently faithful provision of, by way of His Holy word, righteous, immutably wise instruction to parents related to obediently fulfilling the command in Pro 22:6 & Ephs 6:4.
The word “Train” is sometimes used as an agronomical term to describe the process by which the vinedresser would go thru the vineyard &, in order to maximize the vines production, he would clip & prune it, & if needed, to insure maximum production, he would even tie it to force it to grow in the direction necessary for maximum production. Here, God’s instruction is indelibly clear relating to the extent to which parents are to go to bring their children up “in the discipline & instruction of the Lord.”.
Be mindful of the fact that you can always have “teaching” without “training”, but you can never have “training” without “teaching”. “Teaching” is basically the imparting of information to supply the individual with knowledge of a given subject or behavioral expectation. “Training” is the process of “requiring” (pruning, clipping, tying) that individual to learn to conform his or her thinking & conduct to the “knowledge” they have acquired – thus “in the discipline & instruction of the Lord.” – II Timothy 3:16-17.