Has your faith been passed to your children?
Do they believe that God created all things?
Do they believe that there is only one God?
Do they know that they are sinners who need forgiveness?
Do they know that Jesus is God?
Do they know what Jesus has done to bring about salvation?
Do they know how to be made right before God?
The best way to find out is to go ask them. Right now! Go see what they say to these questions.
Sadly, many parents are shocked to find out that their children do not share the faith with them.
Sometimes this is because Christian parents just assume that their children are acquiring all of the information, they need to have right belief. However, often the parents are not personally involved in the instruction process. Many do not even check to see if their children are acquiring basic doctrines of Christianity.
We must remember that the teachings of Christianity are not learned by osmosis.
Children are born without any knowledge of God’s Word. They must be diligently and consistently taught the Bible, or the will not know it. If they are not taught the right knowledge of God, they will grow up not seeing the Bible as God’s supreme rule of belief and behavior in their lives.
By the time these children get to be teens and young adults, we are finding that their beliefs are totally different from their Christian parents.
How did this happen?
Most likely, the parents assumed that Christianity would just be automatically learned, however, Christianity must be intentionally taught.
Timothy is an excellent example of a young man who believed like his parent, and even his grandparent.
Paul wrote, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well” (2 Timothy 1:5).
Here we have an example of three generations of right faith.
How did the faith get passed down?
We find the answer in the same letter to Timothy when Paul wrote, “but as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
It appears that Timothy had been taught the Word of God by his mother and grandmother from the time he was a very young child. Now as a young man, Timothy possesses the same beliefs as his mother and grandmother.
What are the benefits of teaching a child the Bible?
According to Paul, the Bible:
Educates a child about salvation.
Teaches a child right belief.
Calls out a child’s wrong belief and wrong behavior.
Corrects a child’s incorrect belief and behavior.
Trains a child how to live as God has commanded.
Equips a child to work for God.
Long story short, make sure that you are passing down Christianity to the next generation by intentionally and consistently teaching your children from the Word of God.
Dr. Trey Talley, Lead Pastor and Elder