What To Teach Our Children First
As our firstborn son grows in wisdom and understanding, it is important to know what God expects of me as his mother, and Scotty as his father. We live our lives a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1-2). That means that we obey the Lord in everything. So what does God expect us to teach our children, first thing?
WHY WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN
We teach them ourselves (an not sending them to daycare or public school where strangers teach them), because we love the Lord and he commands us to.
Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
If you haven't studied out diligence here are a few video studies that could point you in the right direction:
But right there in the passage it gives you a good idea of what it is to be diligent.
...when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
You teach them every day, where ever and when ever you are. This can be quite the task.
WHAT WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN
In the Deuteronomy passage above, God says to teach them the words that he commanded them that day. It is the old testament commandments. We know that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness (Romans 10:4) but this study will show us how that then ten commandments were written for our learning and are the building blocks of learning truth at a young age.
Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
The Number One Thing to Teach Your Toddler (age 1-3)
Ephesians 6:1 CHILDREN, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Do you see that old testament commandment right there?? Paul (our apostle for today Romans 11:13) is quoting that directly to our children. OBEDIENCE to momma and dada is the first thing that a child should learn. And that comes from the ten commandments. This is also quoted again in Colossians 3:20.
Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
The Lord has established it for us today! Please see this video if you're interested in how seeing things twice in scripture is God establishing it.
TEACH THEM WHAT SIN IS BY THE LAW
The law is not a bad thing, even though we do not keep the law today. It teaches us what sin is.
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
So, this is seeming more and more like where God is pointing us, as parents, to teach our children from. Even before we teach them about the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. They cannot get saved unless they understand what sin is. You might be surprised how well a child between 1-2 years old can understand that they are disobeying mother and father and deserve punishment. This child, if diligently taught, will be ready to call upon Jesus for salvation in due time. But the first thing we need to teach them is that it is SIN if they do not obey their parents. It is worthy of punishment.
SOME VERSES TO TEACH CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
- Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
- Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.
- Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
- John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
- Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
- Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
- Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
- Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
- Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
VIDEO STUDY AND BLESSINGS
May the Almighty Jesus give help to anyone out there who are teaching their own children/grandchildren in the Lord. It can seem like quite the daunting task but our love for the LORD will constrain us to stay diligent.
