To Teach and Train My Children, Continued.
In the previous post, I listed a hefty amount of scripture all dealing with the parental responsibility to train children. Because much of what could be said in this article has already been previously stated under “I Go To Church to Learn the Word of God”, this section will be short.
The church is the other God ordained institution that should teach/train children, though it should be secondary, not primary in this pursuit. The greater issue when teaching children is impressionability. The world system has this truth passionately burned into its conscience. Anti-God rhetoric is littered across all pedagogy in all public schools, programs, and literature. Churches, depending on denomination, have been deeply influenced by the world, and many nominal Christians have accepted legions of anti-God philosophy. For instance, Rob Bell is preaching a universalistic gospel, but uses various scripture – though blatantly out of context – to keep “Christians” baited. If a Christian does not have enough Bible knowledge and more so, Bible wisdom, to deal with such error, he will fall pray. Granted, many churches do not have the extreme heretical levels of Rob Bell, Joel Osteen, or Rick Warren to name a few, but many do hold Augustinian, Calvinistic, and Catholic pollutions.
If I as a parent present my children to the system for education, I then open a giant door to let anyone, even with the best intentions, to teach my children. As a child, I remember attending Presbyterian, Southern Baptist, Free-Will Baptist, and Independent Fundamental Baptist Schools. Without fail, my father would ask my brother and I if we were being taught this or that error from this or that school. We were definitely indoctrinated, but did not really realize how that indoctrination was taking place. (Side note, my father was much more hands on than most parents are, believe me. As a teacher, I only consistently talked with 4 maybe 5 parents over the span of 5 years). The point is this, children are sponges. Whatever you teach them, they will almost without fail accept what is being said. Hence Jesus’ words in Matthew.
Matthew 18:1-6
1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
It is brutally difficult to “retrain” a child once he’s been indoctrinated either for good or for evil. Don’t believe me? Try reasoning with a life-long Muslim, Jew, Hindu…. It is not impossible, but close. Which is further illustrated by Solomon.
Proverbs 22:6
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Most churches have a watered down “kid” approach, which makes Bible truths into cutsie kid stories. Those kid stories remain kiddish well into adulthood. For instance, if a child is brought up with the Apostle Paul looking like a giant, talking cucumber, he will have that picture for many years. This is a dumbed down approach to the Bible, and highly irreverent. The end result makes the “stories” just that and nothing more. The Bible is much more than stories, it is truth that frees from sin (John 8:29 ff.).
Another more dangerous issue is Salvation. Using the dumbed down approach, many well-meaning teachers will coax children into praying a pray to “Go to Heaven.” What’s wrong with this after all? 1. All kids would rather go to Heaven than Hell. 2. They are trusting that the adult knows what she’s talking about. 3. They trust the prayer that the adult leads them in. 4. No repentance is mentioned ever (being sorry is not the essence of repentance, more on that later). 5. No 1,2,3 repeat after me prayer is ever used by anyone ever in the Bible. 6. When children mature into adulthood based upon faulty methods leading to false-conversion, a total lack of “assurance” becomes a severe problem. Further teachers ensure the now teen/young adult that they prayed the prayer, and are in fact saved. In fact, however, the issue that the now matured child has is conviction, that is real conviction that he is lost, and living a life of sin apart from God. What in turn happens is an inoculated “God Believer” but not “Christ Follower” has been created. This belief will not save, because of the crippling false gospel message that was taught at a young age. Just wanting to go to Heaven is the wrong motive for salvation, it is inherently selfish. We must trust Christ upon both 1. Faith, which leads to 2. Repentance – that is a change of attitude toward sin, which will in turn change your life of sin to one of righteousness. Many, including children want to “Go to Heaven”, but few want to get rid of sin. They want a Heaven filled with the “peaceful, loving God of youth”, but they become offended with the Just, Righteous, Jealous God of the Bible after they mature. Parents, be careful, this is the harmful message most churches are teaching your child. Do not forsake, nor forget Matthew 18:6!
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Children most certainly believe in God, you will not find one who doesn’t. They have to be educated out of the obvious, which proves how stupid adults become in order to continue in their sin. If they already believe in God, then teach them Christ. Teach them truth. Teach them yourself. It may be the difference between Heaven or Hell.
