Editor’s note: This is the second of a two part series.
Children face peer pressure every day, and it is a real challenge for them. Some of their friends may not have been taught that there is a right and wrong. They may have had no religious instruction at all. This is why parents need to start from the womb, teaching the Bible to their children. Religion is not just for adults, Solomon wrote, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth,…” (Ecc. 12:1). Young people who have been taught about God can be a great influence on their friends, the kind of influence that is needed by youth today and in every generation.
In the home children need to see parents who love each other as God has commanded them to do.
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (Eph. 5: 22-29). The home should be a place where love is seen in all its glory. With most homes having two working parents it is difficult for the home to not become a motel, were people only go to sleep and eat. Parents must realize their responsibility to God, each other and their children. This means a lot of planning for quality times together, a lot of help from all when it comes to chores around the house, and a real understanding of love.
God has described love in his word, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth (I Cor. 13:4-8a). “What have they seen in thy house?”
Children need to be taught about morals. Paul wrote, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:16- 26).
The home is the place where morals must be taught and practiced.
If parents are involved in immorality, they should not be surprised when their children also become involved. Again, the question must be asked, “What have they seen in thy house”.