Will Your Children Be Saved?

Posted on by kevinjandt

child-baby-hand-in-father-dad

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. – Psalm 127:3

Indeed children are a reward, and how can we look upon our precious little ones and not consider them a gift of God. Children are also a heritage says the word of God, they are like a treasured possession that God has given to us for many purposes, one is in the hopes we pass down a godly line and continue to perpetuate the gospel. That is my hope, and that should also be your hope for your children. My hope is in the Lord, that He will save them, and that He will do all His good pleasure.

But what if that doesn’t happen?

I believe completely and trust fully in the Sovereignty of God. In some circles, I suppose I’m called a “Calvinist”, in that I affirm the doctrines of the Bible that John Calvin taught. This is a four-letter word to many in the professing Christian world, but can I trust in a God that sits back and does not have His hand upon everything; even the salvation of destruction of my children? Oh what a difficult topic this is to write about…

The LORD has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom. – Proverbs 16:4

Have we not read the Scriptures? Do we avoid the hard topic of the reality of salvation? Do we assume because we are faithfully following the Lord that our children will automatically do that? This is a reality, which a Christian must embrace; because there is no guarantee of salvation for our children. We won’t explore the covenantal aspect in this post, but if we only take a cursory glance at Scripture to see how many disobedient children followed their obedient parents, it becomes obvious there is no guarantee.

“But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.” – Jonah 2:9

Do we really trust that salvation is of the Lord? This is a very good question to ask, but it’s a hard question to ask. You can do all the right things. You can take your children to church, you can catechize them, you can teach them the Holy Scriptures, but you can’t guarantee their salvation.

So what do you do now? Do you “let go and let God”? I sure hope not. I sure hope you and I will be diligent, because we also have God’s commands, and the thing I believe is more important than anything else in this conversation is our obedience; if you are a believer, than you MUST be obedient to the Scriptures.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them 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 see also Ephesians 6:4

Believing parents, and especially fathers are commanded, you’ve been given an order that you must obey, to train your children, all the time. Not part of the time, not some of the time, but at every opportunity you have. You have a responsibility to carry out the commands of the King.

Our children have a responsibility in this equation. They are commanded to repent and turn from their sin. They are without excuse, as all of mankind is without excuse, if they don’t repent and turn from their sin. There will be no “out clauses” on judgment day.

Listen to the testimony of Charles Spurgeon, in how his mother would conduct family worship and plead with them. Would you do this with your children? Would they understand the gravity of their situation, should they go unconverted? Would you not do anything and everything for your children that they might come to know the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ?

“It was the custom, on Sunday evenings, while we were yet little children, for her to stay at home with us, and then we sat round the table, and read verse by verse, and she explained the Scripture to us. After that was done, then came the time of pleading; there was a little piece of Alleine’s Alarm, or of Baxter’s Call to the Unconverted, and this was read with pointed observations made to each of us as we sat round the table; and the question was asked, how long it would be before we would think about our state, how long before we would seek the Lord. Then came a mother’s prayer, and some of the words of that prayer we shall never forget, even when our hair is grey. I remember, on one occasion, her praying thus: “Now, Lord, if my children go on in their sins, it will not be from ignorance that they perish, and my soul must bear a swift witness against them at the day of judgment if they lay not hold of Christ.” – C.H. Spurgeon

Could you say this to your children? Would you love them this much, to have them consider that you would testify against them?

Kevin

Should Christians Homeschool?

Posted on by kevinjandt

LydiaWhat is your primary desire for your children?  I think the way you answer this question determines your worldview.

Many people will say they want their child to be happy, or they want them to be successful in life or a number of different variables of this sort.

Then the other worldview is parents that desire their children to be saved.  Perhaps these things are not mutually exclusive.  As a Believer I want my child to experience happiness, but I would rather them experience joy.  I want my child to be successful but what does success really mean?  Does that mean financially or some other manners of what looks like worldly achievement?

Even in the world of Christianity most parents have a very strong desire for this type of thinking.  They want their kids to get good grades so they can go to a good college and get a good job.  But where does this lead them?

Does a good job provide lots of money to spend on things you “need”?  I say that sarcastically.

In Kevin Swanson’s study of Proverbs He says “Over the last one hundred years in this country as well as in Europe, North America, and Asia the birth rate fell by half, while the average square footage of homes doubled in size.  Evidently, the modern world has come to appreciate drywall more than children!”

I’ve been there, I understand that thinking.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your hose and on your gates.

These words which I command you today…  For me this is strikingly clear.  God has spoken and I must consider this a directive from the LORD.  Not a maybe, or if you feel like it, but a clear and concise call to parent with all diligence my children.

It’s pretty easy to go through the rest of this and come to the conclusion that God is telling us is that our children are to spend the majority of their time under our supervision.  I didn’t notice any exemptions, like you don’t need to worry about them when they are at their friend’s house, or when they go to public school.  Doesn’t Proverbs 13:20 warn us about who they should spend their time with?

I realize there is going to be pushback when I make this declaration.  Our worldview is challenged by this statement.  My worldview was challenged by this statement.

God gives us direction for our own good doesn’t He?

Deuteronomy 6:11-14 …–when you have eaten and are full—then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage… 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you…

We are a people on the earth that are full and we live in beautiful houses.  How easy it is to chase after the gods of this world.  We have been indoctrinated to believe that our children’s education must be left to the professionals, when God says “No”; I want you to do that.

Is home-education better by a worldly standard?  Actually it is, How American Homeschoolers measure up, but this should not be the primary reason.  My goal is training my children first and foremost in the “training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).   Teaching them to Fear the Lord and understand His goodness and righteousness in hope that He will grant them repentance.

I must also do this in light of the gospel.  If I don’t train their hearts to understand the gospel I will only train little Pharisees.  Proper education includes a healthy dose of their separation from a Holy God and also the remedy that He came to seek and save them and they must turn from their sin in faith and repentance.

This is the gospel, the good news that Jesus Christ did the work.  He paid the price to reconcile sinful man to a Holy God.  Is Home-education a better option for your child?  I believe it is but not for the reason most people think it is.  It’s better because we have an opportunity to teach them diligently all day long without the destructive influences of a socialist institution that despises God.

May the Lord grant mercy as He shows us His design for education.

Kevin