Real Christian Parents Lead Children
in Faith & Worship
I'm sure there are families that do
come close to fitting the ideal picture of a real Christian
family. But we all know that no human being is perfect in
all their ways. Only Jesus Christ accomplished such
perfection, and He did so in order to become the spotless
sacrifice for the sins all the rest of us commit each day.
He was and is also the eternal Son of God, of God and with God
forever.
No mom or dad will always live up to
being the perfect example, the perfect parent. But with
God's help we can all do what we can each day. God is
faithful to provide us with what we need, and He will bless
every act of genuine love and caring. The need is very
great for all parents to set the best example possible.
Children will only know what they
are told by older children, by parents or other family members,
by teachers, by books, TV cartoons and the information they
receive via other forms of media. As children get older they may
be able to better discern between truth and error, or their
thinking may already be so saturated with worthless principles
and ideas that they are unable to recognize truth at all. This
does not mean that God is unable to reach into the darkness and
draw them into His perfect light, but it does mean that parents
and other adults in their lives failed them.
Real Christian parents will be
attentive to the spiritual needs of their children, guiding them
as best they can and leading by example. It is the father's
responsibility to provide for the basic needs of his family.
There is no greater need in any human life than the need for a
living relationship with Jesus Christ. So while food, shelter,
clothing and education are being supplied, spiritual training
must also be given. The Old Testament book of Proverbs is an
excellent primer for fathers, as well as for children in
Christian families.
Mothers are to be the primary source
of nurture in the home. Unless a person has been indoctrinated
in some way, anyone, Christian or not, will recognize this fact.
While our present society continually tries to remold the
character and responsibilities of the mother, life itself
demands that she care for her children. When circumstances force
her to try and raise the children without a father in the home,
the duties of motherhood become too great for any woman to bear
alone. God has promised in Scripture to be a father to the
fatherless and a protector of the widow (Psalm 68:5), and there
is no doubt that many of the widows in our society are the
victims of divorce, war, or otherwise absent spouses, as well as
the actual death of a husband.
Regardless of how popular sitcoms
and politically correct propaganda may strive to claim
otherwise, when children receive the daily care of both parents,
they gain the best possible chances of survival and success as
human beings in this world. We all need to know how a
Christian man and a Christian woman should conduct themselves.
We will find it easier to understand and accept good teaching on
the subject in church services, Sunday School and Bible Studies
if we have already seen real people living the life at home.
Teens and young adults face many
challenges to healthy sexuality, decent morality, proper ethics,
and a right sense of justice from every side. School
teachers, popular media, peers, and the examples of our own
faltering society blast away at young minds and hearts every
day. Without a good and solid foundation gained by godly
examples in the home, a young soul has little chance of
spiritual survival, much less success as an adult.
Moms and dads who love God and who
lead the family in all matters of worship and Scripturally sound
Christian faith provide the best hope for children and for
future adults. God is present to help and to enable the
man and woman willing to be His servant in caring for the young
lives in the family. Give your children the very best
spiritual foundation by standing true as an example and leader
in spiritual training and life.
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