Page 97 - Family Life Student Textbook

Helping them place their faith in Jesus Christ early in their life, results in the Holy Spirit living inside of them
and helping them grow as a believer. They will avoid many scars of sin they might have had otherwise. My
desire is that my children grow spiritually early on in life. This begins with helping them trust Christ for
eternal life as early as possible.

Too many people confuse a child's decision to place their faith in Christ for eternal
life, and that same childs decision later on in life, to commit their life to Jesus
Christ. (Romans 12:1-2) This causes some parents to postpone their emphasis
upon the spiritual life of their child, waiting for their teenage years. Why would
we postpone such an important decision until a later time when they are,
statistically at least, less likely to respond positively to the gospel message?

As Christian leaders, we must encourage parents in this responsibility and help
them in clearly communicating the gospel message to their children. Also, the
church ought to make teaching children the gospel and other important Biblical
lessons of great importance.

Parenting is the ultimate opportunity for discipleship. In the home, parents are
able to spend consistent time with their children over a number of years. Children look up to their parents
for guidance. This provides a wonderful opportunity to disciple them in the knowledge of God's word and in
their spiritual growth. Even as a Christian leader, you will likely not experience this powerful an opportunity
to disciple someone else.

And discipleship is the goal. Many parents focus only on the discipline of their children. But the word
“discipline” comes from the word “discipleship”. Raising our children in the Lord ought to be 10% discipline
and 90% discipleship.

Deuteronomy 6:6–9 “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you
walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on
your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your
houses and on your gates.”

Deuteronomy 11:19–21 “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at
home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and
the days of your children may be many in the land the LORD swore to give your
ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.”

Our job as parents is to prepare our children to make biblical and
mature decisions in life.

Proverbs 22:6 “Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.”

Deuteronomy 4:9–10 “Only be careful and watch yourselves
closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes
have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as
you live. Teach them to your children and to their
children after them. Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb,
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