April 1, 2003, Vol.2, No.7.

ARE WE SERIOUS ABOUT OUR CHILDREN?

Parents, let's have a heart-to-heart talk. I am a parent of four children. Just as you, I love my children. I want them to be happy and successful in this life. Above all else, I want them to go to heaven. Each parent who reads this article will agree this is what you want for your children.

Several of us are troubled that one or more of our children who are of the age of accountability either have never obeyed the gospel or have left Christ. Those who have younger children are concerned that they be led to Christ. What can we do?

Of course, the Bible answers our questions. But before we see what the answers are, let's take a look at ourselves. Are we willing to accept and apply the scriptural solutions? Are we concerned enough about saving our children that we are willing to make the personal changes to do all we can to effect their salvation? Are we really serious about trying to save our children?

The Lord said He could bring upon faithful Abraham the wonderful promises He had spoken because Abraham would "command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord" (Gen. 18:19). Fathers, could the Lord say the same of us?

Moses commanded Israel:

"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart;

"you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up"

(Deut. 6:6-7).

If Jewish parents were so strictly directed to teach their offspring the will of God under a law in which their children were physically born into covenant relationship with God, how much greater is our teaching responsibility to our children under a law in which they must learn God's will and obey it before they can enter into God's covenant? (Heb. 8:6-13)

The New Testament does not lessen the teaching responsibility of parents. The apostle Paul instructs:

"And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4).

Of course, we can partially discharge this obligation by seeing that our children attend Bible classes provided by the church. But think, would we be satisfied that our young people were getting a proper secular education if they were in class an hour and a half a week? Obviously, we must do more. We should see that their lessons are prepared for Bible class. We should have our own home Bible studies on a regular basis. We should see that they pay attention during services. (If your teenagers are sitting away from you at the back of the building, I can almost guarantee they are either not paying proper attention or are being distracted by others. In my twenty-five years of preaching, the most consistent cause of disruption of worship assemblies I have seen is teenagers sitting away from their parents at the back of the auditorium. If you want your teenagers to participate properly in worship, either have them sit with you or at the front of the auditorium.) We should make the Scriptures the topic of our family discussions. When questions of what our children may be allowed to do are raised, we should appeal to the Scriptures to settle the matter. Their problems should be settled by the Word of God. The Scriptures should permeate our homes. They must be made to see that the Bible is the guide of our lives.

Which leads me to a second thing we must do to lead our children to the Lord. We must set the right example before them. The primary way children learn is by example. Children are the world's best imitators. They mimick what they see others do. And they, without even realizing it themselves, imitate their parents. Asa was a good king of Judah (2 Chron. 14:2-5), and his son Jehoshaphat

"walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord" (2 Chron. 20:31-32).

Parents, when we are more concerned with sports than Bible study, use foul language at home, miss worship for the slightest excuses, and dress immodestly ourselves, what do we have the right to expect from our young people?

Finally, if we want to direct our children to eternal life, we must restrain them from doing wrong. Eli was a good man, the judge of Israel, and the high priest; but, when his sons became "corrupt" (1 Sam. 2:12-17), he rebuked them for their sins (1 Sam. 2:22-25), but "he did not restrain them" (1 Sam. 3:13). Eli's sons were grown but, as priests, were still under their father's direction. He had it in his power to stop their wrong doing, but he did not do so. The Lord rebuked Eli:

"Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My habitation, and honor your sons more than Me"? (1 Sam. 2:29)

Thus, God decreed the destruction of the house of Eli (1 Sam. 2:27-36; 3:11-14). Parents, I think we really know it is sinful and wrong for our children to go to the dances, wear the brief dress of cheer leaders and twirlers, miss services for recreational activities, put school homework ahead of Bible study, and go mixed swimming. You might say, "They have to make their own decisions." Eli rebuked his sons for their wrong, but he did not restrain them. God punished him. As long as my children are in my home, I have the obligation to keep them from doing what is sinful.

When our children entered our homes, they were gifts from God. They were pure from the guilt of sin. We have them for just a few years. In that brief time we must do our best to prepare them to serve God. We will not be afforded the luxury of a second chance to raise our children. Some day they will stand before the Lord in judgment. Will they be pure from sin then? How will we return to God those precious gifts? If we want them to live for Christ, we must teach them God's will, set the right example before them, and restrain them from wrong. Do we really want our children to go to heaven? Are we serious about our children? K.S.