"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." -Proverbs 22:6
I have wondered about this verse many times. Wondered, hoped actually, that if Martie and I were faithful in teaching our children about faith in God - trusting Jesus as the Way, Truth, and Life - that they would somehow be saved by our faithfulness. Perhaps our faith would be sufficient for their salvation - even if they wander a bit. We just needed to disciple them. Doesn't that make sense?
But then I thought about that the fact that our children were included in "ALL" and "NONE" referred to in Romans. That salvation is a "GIFT" of God and not the parents.
".... for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" - Romans 3:23
"As it is written: “There is NONE righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:10
"For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23
Dr. James Dobson said that, for our children, Christian values are "caught" and not "taught". Our teaching is not so much through our words but in the way we live our lives. Does our WALK match our TALK. No one knows that better than our family. We can fool some of the people on Sunday - but we have an audience in our homes the rest of the week. Perhaps the worst lesson that we can teach our children is how to be a hypocrite. That it is OK to behave one way at home and another way in front of people you are trying to impress.
Children raised by parents who are not Christian become Christians. Children who are raised by parents who are Christians live their lives out lost and headed for hell. So my conclusion - my family is the first place of ministry - but - the choice to yield their lives in faith is theirs alone. As a parent I can make them do things that Christians are to do - until they leave home, but I cannot make their hearts want to do them - especially as teenagers :) We can pray for them, encourage them, love them. We can be Jesus to them in all but one respect - We can't save them. I know that God loves them, even more than we do. But in the final analysis, they are just like Nicodemus. This one thing I know. If our children do choose to wander - should they come back, we need to make certain that we are in the right place for them to come back to. Not geographically but spiritually.
"Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” - John 3:3
"Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.' Nicodemus answered and said to Him, 'How can these things be?' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?'" - John3:5-10
Nicodemus was a teacher of the Jewish Faith - but he lacked one thing - He was not born again. He lacked faith in his heart. We have a responsibility toward our children but we are not the way and truth and life - Jesus is.
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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