The importance of teaching and training the next generation is affirmed in both the old and new testaments. In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul gave instruction to fathers regarding their children that they should bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Ephesian 6:4. Let us all seize the opportunity to teach our children “The God Thing,” knowledge of the creator, and His rules for mankind.
God revealed the standards of what is right and what is wrong. These ten rules for human activity are found in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. After making these rules abundantly clear, God gave an awesome responsibility to parents, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them to your children and you shall talk of the when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
The God of the Bible is the God of truth. We must be men and women of truth, and we must teach our children and others the truth. We should not let them be confused by twisted ideas of fake history. Let the Bible provide the rock-solid foundation of historical truth to you and your family.
Those who do not know or cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Many things our children today are learning are ridiculous and even a dangerous distortion of the past. It’s not hard to see that younger generations are being taught something very different from what their parents and grandparents learned and lived. Yet, it is vital for all children to learn an accurate account of the lessons and trials of the human experience. The past teaches us how to handle the present. It affects how we see our future! In fact, it can determine whether we even have a future.
The truth should be passed to our children and they should be entrusted to pass it on to their children. This process is described in scripture. Psalms 78:5-7, “For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children.” That children should be taught the Word of God by the fathers was not a suggestion, it was a command. Psalms 78:6, “That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children.” A move of God is actually limited to the present generation unless that generation proclaims the truth to the coming generation; Psalms 78:7, “That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.” Folks, this is the only way to live a successful life.
Psalms 78:8, “And might not be as fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.” The idea is if the children aren’t taught, everything will be lost. In our society today the Bible, God’s Word, is attacked from every direction; yet, it stands true. As the psalmist wrote, the entirety of your word is truth (Psalms 119:160). Paul echoed this when he wrote “Let God be true but every man a lie.” This is an important question we must ask ourselves, especially if we are concern about the next generation. Notice what Paul wrote to the young evangelist Timothy, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
We can’t pick and choose the things of God’s Word that we like and ignore the things we don’t like. We must let the whole Bible be our Sunday School teacher, educating us about the living God. We must use it to convey to our children both an understanding of the human experience throughout history and the knowledge of what God expects of us today. The God who inspired the entire Bible has authority over our lives and His book should shape our understanding and guide our decisions. In Matthew 4:4, Jesus explained, and it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
Alma Carter-Pilson
Sunday School Teacher
Antioch Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
