– 8 Min Read
Introduction
Raising children is hard work. But it is some of the most glorious work God could bless us with. The Bible is clear that children are under the care of their parents. Parents are responsible for raising their children up in the knowledge of the Lord. In recent decades that understanding has shifted ever so slightly. It appears that in our current evangelical climate, Christian parents think that it is the responsibility of the Church to teach their children the things of God. Family worship is something hardly practiced in Christian homes today. I wish to take us to two chapters of the Bible to see what we can gather on the topic of raising up our children to be Christians.
Deuteronomy 6
In Moses’ fifth and final book, Deuteronomy, God tells the Israelites in chapter 6 that they are to hear three things; “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6:4-5). After telling them that YAHWEH is their God, He is one, and that they are to love Him with all their being, He then tells them that these words are to be on their hearts (v.6). In other words, they are to know Him, love Him, and love His words with all their hearts. But it is what is said next that I wish to focus on.
You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
– Deuteronomy 6:7-9
When someone knows God and loves Him with all their heart, they diligently tell their children about Him. The Lord instructs the Israelites how they are to raise their children. They are to teach them the words of God, talk about the words of God, and write them down on their hands, houses, foreheads, and gates. Everywhere you and your children look you should see the words of God. In other words, memorize and meditate on the words of God.
We are privileged to have God’s word in printed and digital form. We have easy and immediate access to it. But for these Israelites, it was not so easy. They had to write down the words of YAHWEH on every surface they could to be reminded.
Let’s look at the first thing of importance they are to keep close to their hearts and tell their children about. “The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!” (v.4). This means that our children are to be taught that YAHWEH is their God and He is one. The point is that parents are to raise their children up as Christians. We as Christian parents are to raise our children as Christians who believe in the one true God. He is their God.
The second thing is that parents are to teach their children proper theology. “The Lord is one!” (v.4). We believe in a Triune God; this means there is only one God, not three or whatever number you want. When we say that God is “Triune“, we mean that three persons, Father, Son, and Spirit, are united in one shared divine essence (being) and are co-equal. Monotheism is something that parents should be teaching their children.
The next phase of Christian parenting is to teach children to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (v.5). Again, this means we are to raise up our children as Christians. They are not only to know who God is and that He is one, but they are to be taught to love Him with all their heart, soul, and might. Worship is another thing that parents are to be teaching their children.
We know this is what God intends because He commands them to “diligently” teach their children as they “sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” (v.7). Parents are to consistently pursue their children with the gospel. Family worship is something that is to be regular, not occasional. The stakes are too high because parents are shepherding the souls of their children.
Ephesians 6
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is a glorious letter. It is referred to as the “Mini Romans” and for good reasons. It is full of magnificent truths for the Christian to rest in and enjoy. Right after Paul explains God’s design for marriage (Eph. 5:22-33) and before he lays out how the Christians are to live their lives wearing the armor of God (Eph. 6:10-17), he speaks of the family.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
– Ephesians 6:1-4
Some may think that it is strange to start talking about the full armor of God after addressing the family. But if you are a parent you know this makes total sense. Raising a family, and being a part of a family can be one of the most sanctifying things imaginable. Jesus said that He came to bring division in the family with the gospel, some will believe and some will not therefore causing a divide in the family (Luke 12:51-53). This is not something that is pleasant or enjoyable. This is why it is important to raise up your children in “the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
It is not by accident that Paul describes Satan’s attacks as “flaming arrows” (Eph. 6:16). Most likely when Paul was talking about families and children, what Solomon wrote in Psalm 127 came to his mind.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them
– Psalm 127:4-5
Satan may have his arrows but parents have theirs too. Arrows are supposed to be sharp, not dull. This means that parents are to train their children in the admonishment and instruction of the Lord. They are to be raised in the fear and knowledge of the Lord. In other words, we are to catechize our children. We are to help them memorize and understand the Scriptures. It is going to be difficult for children to “obey their parents in the Lord” (Eph. 6:1) if fathers do not “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (v.4).
Also, observe how Paul addresses children (v.1) in this letter to the Ephesian church. This means that children are a part of the congregation and Paul knew they would be present during the reading of his letter, so he speaks to them directly. The words of the Apostle Paul are for all in the church, not just the adults. Paul wants children to do their part in obeying their parents and wants the parents (fathers) to do their part in equipping their children.
There was no children’s church in the first-century church. Children were a part of the congregation and participated in the corporate worship of God with their families. For someone to make the case that there should be a separate service or class for children and therefore remove them from the assembly and worship of God, they will largely have to ignore the biblical record and the majority of church history.
Did you know that parenting is a part of Christian worship? Worship is not merely singing songs on Sunday, it is something that encompasses the whole of the Christian life. The Puritans regularly taught that all of the Christian life is to be in worship of God. Everything that we do matters. How we raise our children matters. God wants children to be brought up, nurtured, and trained by their parents in the things of God. This brings God much glory.
Conclusion
It is important for the church to be educating young adults considering marriage that if or when they become parents they need to consider these things. Do not take things for granted. Search the Scriptures and see how exactly God requires you to raise your children, for you will be held accountable. Deuteronomy 6 and Ephesians 6 must be texts that are considered in one’s analysis of parenting and how one views children in the church. According to these texts of Scripture, there is a great responsibility in having and raising children. The stakes are high because “children are a heritage from the Lord” (Psalm 127:3).