Are They Being Taught by You?

I watched each of my two daughters being born.  I can't express in words the change that came over me on those 2 birth dates.  I really don't have to tell most of you dads because you share the same emotional change as I did.  As parents we love our children and want the best for them. Dads, what did  you want for your children?

When I thought it couldn't get any better, the grandchildren came along. WOW! What fun and that fun is without all the responsibility we had with our own children. Maybe that's why they are called grandchildren. I hope I live long enough to see my great grandchildren.

We may not have as much of the responsibly with our grandchildren and great grandchildren, but in the times we are living in today, I have much concern about their freedom and  their spiritual well being.  I am sure every Christian parent and grandparent share the same concerns as I.

From the day of birth the baby starts to learn. The baby has been in the comfort and safety of the mother's womb for 9 months and now is in the comfort and care of her arms.  At least that is the way God planned it.  Some for personal reasons or  ideology do not love their baby, and they terminate their baby while in the womb. I address this in my book: The Heart Behind the Stone:Develop a Giant Slaying Heart.  It is available on www.amazon.com

Mostly from the parents, siblings, and other family members, a newborn baby learns quickly the first weeks of his/her life. As the child gets older the window of learning, that was once controlled by family, now is open wide coming from many different good and bad sources.

Who has God given the responsibility to teach children? Deuteronomy chapter 6 is a good beginning point to find who God commanded to teach them and what they should be taught.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.  And these words 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.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorpost of your house and on your gates. (Deut. 6:4-9, NKJV )

In Ephesians chapter 6:4 the Apostle Paul instructs the fathers. And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. (NKJV)

Fathers, according to the above scriptures, we are to take the lead in teaching our children about God and His commandments. Many fathers along with mothers do this.  Some children learn from their parents'  teachings and grow up to be faithful Christians serving God, but not all.  Why is this? I don't know, but it may be the choice God gives all of us to follow or not follow Him.  When our children are old enough to get out in the world, unawares, other teachers appear.  Remember what I said earlier that the window of teaching is wide open when our children get older.  What does the world teach them?  The big 3 are: abortion is the choice of the woman, evolution (evilution) is fact and God did not create us the way He said He did in Genesis 1, and sexual immorality is only an alternate lifestyle that everyone should accept.

Deb and I have been fortunate. Our daughters are still faithful to God, and along with their husbands they teach their children to be the same.  But, I know of those I have been going to church with for years that taught their children also, and they have left the church and God all together.  Again, why is this?

Have you thought about why Cain murdered his brother Able in Genesis chapter 4 or why the 2 sons of Levi, the priest in 1Sammuel 2:13 were so evil?  What about the parable of the Lost Son that Christ told in Luke 15:11-32?  The younger son wanted his inheritance.  The father gave him his portion, and he left for a far away land wasting his inheritance with prodigal living.  The other son stayed at home and served his father and never transgressed his father's commandment.

Even though we are faithful in teaching our children about God and His commandments, this does not guarantee they will be faithful to God, but we can believe this. When they have been worn down in sin as the prodigal son,  they will know enough about God and His forgiving love to come back to Him.

What happens when a father teaches his children God's word? Most of the time it indicates a family unit that is intact. There are exceptions to this.  I have known of single parents that have done a great job teaching their children about God and His word.  In Second Timothy the Apostle Paul mentions Timothy's faith.

     2Timothy 1:5  ...when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which first dwelt in      your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

Fathers, mothers, grandmothers and grandfathers are your children and grandchildren being taught God's love and commandments by you? If not, who is teaching them?

What happens when children are not taught God's word by parents or anyone else?  The fruit that emerges from this is: A Generation that does not Know God.  Look at our country today and it is self-explanatory.

What if they are not being taught God's word by you?  What if you are living in rebellion to God and His word?  If you die in that state, a sinner that has not repented of your sins and been cleansed by the Blood of Christ, you will be the same as the rich man that Jesus tells us about in Luke16:19-31. He begged father Abraham to send Lazarus back to tell his five brothers about the place he was in so they would not be joining him in torment. Abraham told him they have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  30) The rich man pleaded; No father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead , they will repent.  
31) But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead'.

Besides being in torment, the rich man's anguish was that he did not influence his brothers to follow the Lord.  He was afraid that they would live as he did while on earth and die in that state to receive the same torment as he. Oh how he was hoping they would listen to Moses and the prophets.  You and I will be the same way if we do as the rich man.  We will be hoping every moment that someone will teach God's truth to our children and loved ones, so they will not end up in torment, separated from God for eternity.

In our case someone did come back from the dead teaching about God's plan of salvation for all of humanity.  His name is Jesus Christ.  He commanded his disciples and us to go into all the world teaching the gospel. (Matt.28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-16)

We can eliminate one of the above paragraphs if we are teaching our children, grandchildren and all other loved ones the Gospel of Christ with such a passion and urgency for them to see us loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

If we take the lead in this we will also see the hearts changing in America and the love for God restored by our fellow Americans. The alternative is eternal regret. If you are not teaching them you can start today. Remember the quote from Maria Robinson—Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.

You can read my book to your children, The Heart Behind the Stone:Develop a Giant Slaying Heart, to help teach them to develop a love for God as the young shepherd boy David had. Please go to http://www.amazon.com to review and order.

I welcome your comments.  We are all in this together, helping each other and our loved ones  get to heaven. Please comment by going to rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com

Thank you so much!
Rick Hepler