Parents, Children, and God

It is saddening that many children grow up with little or no knowledge of the word of God.  If “righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people,” a knowledge of the scriptures will encourage the one and discourage the other (Prov. 14:34).

In the very nature of the case, parents are responsible for the children they bring into the world.  An infant needs to grow morally and spiritually as well as physically and mentally.  But parents who are diligent in training the bodies and minds of their children often are unconcerned about their spiritual development. 

God has always required parents to teach their children His precepts (Gen. 18:1; Deut. 6:6-9; Eph. 6:4).  It is a fortunate person of whom it can be said: “From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (II Tim. 3:15).  A knowledge of God’s will, and an example of devotion to it, is the most valuable heritage parents can give to their children.

The time for parents to succeed or fail as parents is while children are children.  It has been said that “what we are to become, we are becoming.”  Surely this is true in years of youth, when values and patterns of life are being formed.  This is why the wise man exhorted parents to train up a child in the way he should go before the evil day comes when the deceitfulness of sin has made his heart unable to find pleasure in doing the will of God (Prov. 22:6; Eccl. 12:1).

A child is one of God’s most precious gifts, and his spiritual needs are his gravest concern.  What a pity to see parents who have thus been blessed by God disregard their responsibility and their child’s eternal welfare.  God will not hold guiltless the parent who betrays this sacred trust.

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