Parents, children and the church

As members of society, Christian parents need to educate their children, and they must not leave such a charge to the church, or any other institution.

Parents, children and the church

Introduction

What can I do to keep my child in the church? This is a question asked by many Christian parents.

Those with small children want formulas to prevent their children from straying from the church, and those with large children, who have distanced themselves from the church, want God to perform a miracle.

What to do?

Son of a believer needs to be born again

First, every Christian must be aware that ‘the children of the flesh are not children of God’. Like? Is my child, born in an evangelical and / or Protestant birthplace, not a child of God?

Now, if ‘son of a believer were a son of God’, we would have to agree that all of Abraham’s descendants are also children of God, however, this is not what the Bible teaches.

The apostle Paul, writing to Christians in Rome, made it clear that being a descendant of the flesh of Abraham is not what grants divine filiation “Not that the word of God was lacking, because not all who are from Israel are Israelites; Not because they are descendants of Abraham, are they all children” (Rom. 9: 6 -7). “… it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants” (Rom. 9: 8). Now, if the children of Abraham are not children of God, it also follows that the son of a believer is not a child of God.

Therefore, anyone who wants to achieve divine sonship must have the same faith that the believer Abraham had, that is, for a Christian’s son to be a child of God, he must necessarily believe in the same way that the father believed the gospel message “Know, then, that those who are of faith are the children of Abraham” (Gal. 3: 7).

Only those who are generated through the incorruptible seed, which is the word of God, are children of God, that is, children of Christians are not necessarily children of God.

The Church is the body of Christ

Second, not all Christians must be aware that the body of Christ, which is also called a church, can be confused with human institutions, such as the family and the church. Being part of a human institution does not make man belong to the body of Christ that is, saved.

The responsibility to educate

As a member of society, Christian parents need to educate their children, and you should not leave such a charge to the church, or any other institution. Such task is solely and exclusively of the parents. If the parents are absent, this task should be transferred to another person who plays this role: grandparents, uncles, or, as a last resort, an institution established by society (orphanage).

Why can’t the mission of raising children be delegated? Because within normality, parents are the people who have the best and greatest trust in the first years of an individual’s life. Based on this relationship of trust, the family institution becomes a laboratory where all tests to produce a responsible citizen are carried out.

It is within the family that one learns what is authority and responsibility. Human relationships has learned and developed within the family, such as fraternity, friendship, trust, respect, affection, etc.

As parents have the best and most trusting relationship, they are also the best ones to present the gospel of Christ to children during the educational process. Therefore, it is salutary that parents do not present their children with a vindictive and spiteful God. Phrases like “- Don’t do this because daddy doesn’t like it! Or, – if you do this, God punishes! ”, Does not reflect the truth of the gospel and causes enormous damage to the child’s understanding.

The relationship that the gospel establishes between God and men is guide by trust and faithfulness. Is it possible to trust someone who is spiteful and vindictive? Not! Now, how is it possible for a young man to trust God, if what has been presented to him does not match the truth of the gospel?

Parents need to demonstrate to their children that some behaviors has not tolerated because the father and mother effectively disapprove. The father and mother effectively prohibit those such attitudes. That such behavior is harmful and the whole society disapproves.

Do not present your child with a resentful, nervous God who is ready to punish you for any misconduct. Such behavior on the part of parents clearly demonstrates that they are evading their responsibility as an educator.

Educating children by establishing a relationship of fear, having God, the church, the pastor, the priest, the devil, hell, the police, black-faced ox, etc., as executioners or punishment, ends up producing men who they do not respect institutions and despise those who exercise authority. This type of education establishes fear instead of respect, as the relationship of trust is not established. When the fear passes, there is no longer any reason to obey.

Parents who act in this way when educating their children do have their share of guilt in misleading their children. The church also has its share, because it failed to appoint parents as the only and legitimate responsible for the education of their children. The state is also guilty, as it assumes the role of educator, when in reality; it is only a vehicle for the transmission of knowledge.

If the foundations of education are not delineate within the family, and such concepts applied and experienced in family relationships, any other human institution, such as the church and the state, will be doomed to failure.

Many parents apply themselves to work, study and the church; however, they do not invest time in their children’s education. The education of children takes place full time and it is not healthy to neglect this time.

When to start educating?

Concern for children usually arises only when Christian parents feel that their children are distancing themselves from the church institution. Fearful appeals to imposition and coercion, forcing children to go to church. Such an attitude is even more mistaken than not having instructed the child at the right time.

These questions startle some Christian parents because they do not know what their role as a member of society is, and what their mission as an ambassador of the gospel. Christian parents cannot mix these two functions.

Christian parents have two very different missions:

a) to educate their children to be members of society, and;

b) announce the wonderful promises of the gospel to the children so that they never stray from the faith.

These missions must be carried out from an early age, taking care to deal simultaneously with the education and training of a citizen, without neglecting the teaching of the word of truth, emphasizing the love and faithfulness of God.

From a young age, the child must has be taught to respect the authorities, and it is through the parents that the child will has be exercised regarding submission to authority. Through siblings, grandparents and uncles the child will learn respect and conviviality. Like friends, teachers, neighbors and strangers, the child will learn relationships with the world.

What about the gospel? What does the Bible recommend? In Deuteronomy, we read the following: “And you will teach them to your children and speak of them while seated in your house, and walking along the path, and lying down and getting up” (Deut 6: 7). About the way of life the child must be instructed at all times, that is, at home, on the way, at bedtime and when getting up.

The instruction of the sacred ‘letters’ is the responsibility of the parents! The scriptures do not recommend delegating such a function to the Sunday school teacher; moreover, it restricts teaching time about Christ to once a week, for a period of just one hour. Very different from what the scripture recommends daily teaching.

Children and society

Parents need to help children understand that everyone owes obedience to parents and society. Submission to parents today is an essay and an apprenticeship to submission that will be require by society, both at school and at work.

After has being instruct even if the young person did not want to follow the gospel of Christ, we will have a citizen committed to certain social values?

One of the pertinent problems in the education of children of Christians today is in mixing family education with church. Delegating to the church the responsibility of transmitting sociocultural values is a big mistake. When the young person grows up and is disappointed with certain people within the institution, he ends up moving away from the membership of the community he attended, and at the same time, he rebels against all types of social values.

When parents are aware that they do not generate children for God, they apply more to the education and evangelization of children. Nor do they despair when they see that their shoots are not in the mood to go to church. They will not feel guilty or responsible for their children when they do not address some institutional issues.

It is necessary to educate children through teaching the word of God, however, without forgetting to transmit and inculcate social values. Education includes conversation, play, scolding, warning, etc. Allow children to experience all stages of life, from childhood, adolescence and youth.

However, what to do when children stray from the church? First, it is necessary to distinguish whether children have strayed from the gospel or have distanced themselves from a particular institution.

Ignoring elementary gospel principles leads parents to confuse what it means to be a child of God with belonging to a particular church. If a child is no longer a regular at church, he should not be label a stray, or that he is striding to hell, etc.

If a person professes the truth of the gospel as the scriptures say, it means that he is not a stray, but should be alert only to the need to congregate. It may be necessary for parents to investigate why their children are leaving the habit of meeting with other Christians.

Now, if the son does not profess the truth of the gospel and continues to congregate out of habit, his condition before God is troubling. What does he know about the gospel? Does he profess the faith of the gospel? If the answer is negative, it is necessary to announce the truth of the gospel, so that he can believe and be saveding, and not just a churchgoer.

Chosen generation

In eternity God elected the descent of the Lord Jesus Christ (descendant promised to Abraham), therefore, the Apostle Paul used the verb elect in the past ‘ elected ‘ to demonstrate the current condition of Christians: elected of God (Eph 1: 3).

But ye are a chosen generation, a Royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a purchased people that praises the virtues, to him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 pet. 2: 9)

Since the Reformation the doctrine of election is presented by some as a mystery, and for others, sums it up only in controversy.

But, when writing to the Christians of the dispersion, the Apostle Peter the named ‘ elected ‘ generation, which sheds light on mysteries and dissolves the controversies.

Theorists usually think the election as a choice of God who rests on individuals and, shall consider in what is the idea of ‘ chosen ‘ generation.

The Apostle Peter emphasizes that Christians are elected, the generation that invalidates the idea that God has chosen or rejected, without criterion plausible individuals in particular.

According to the theories that try to explain the doctrine of election, with the main highlight the Calvinist theories and arminianistas, God chose some individuals to be saved before them that they came to exist. Such theories totally discard the exposed by the Apostle Peter that emphasizes the generation (noun), because without the existence of this particular generation there that talk about elected officials.

Paulina that first exposure is the generation of natural men and, later, the generation of spiritual, is also dropped by the Calvinist theories and arminianistas (1 Cor. 15:46), in the same way that doesn’t take into account what Jesus expos to say: ‘ those born of the flesh is flesh ‘ and ‘ those born of the spirit is spirit ‘.

Whether the election is for the sovereignty or foreknowledge of God, the doctrine of election, both Calvinist and arminianista, also says that God elects individuals in particular to be saved.

How God would choose some men to be saved even before they are Born, if all men sinned? Whom God would choose for salvation, if all are conceived in Sin? What is the basis for this choice?

To deal with the election, both the positions do not consider that the Bible presents two types of births and two types of generations, and consider that God chooses some people to be saved and others to eternal damnation, deposes against the Grace of God and the purpose that there is in the Gospel that wants all men to be saved, and to come to knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2: 4).

The model took shape and robustness in the reform period with names like Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Arminius, Spurgeon, Owen, etc., and influenced many contemporary writers, see if they considered that the existence of man is restricted to a single birth: birth according to the flesh of Adam. And forget to consider that the Bible presents a new generation through the new birth which gives rise to the ‘ elected ‘ generation.

The Bible makes reference to two seeds: the corruptible seed from the seed of Adam, and the imperishable seed, which is the Word of God. Just as there are two seeds, therefore, there are two generations. When the psalmist says: a seed the serve; will be declared to every generation (Sl 22:30), it points to a specific seed, the imperishable seed, which brings the men who serve God, different from the seed of Adam, who is at enmity with God (1Pe 1:23)

The imperishable seed is the generation of the sons of God, those who seek the face of the God of Jacob this is the generation of those who seek him, those that seek thy face, o God of Jacob (Psalm 24: 6), however, the corruptible seed of Adam is only the generation of wicked, whose machado is already put at the root of them because the Lord loves judgment and not forsake his saints; they are preserved forever; but the seed of the wicked will be uprooted (PS 37: 28; Mt 3:10).

The generation of Adam, who is from corruptible seed, is not the generation elected. Of the children of Adam is not a man if you seek God before all went astray and together have become unclean (Sl 14: 3; Sl 53: 3). Adamic generation there are those who do good, because the man is straighter and more a thorn just like a hedge of thorns (Mq 7: 4). The descendants of Adam’s seed if misplace of God and utter lies since they are born (Sl 58: 3).

The generation according to the will of the flesh, the blood and the will of man produces carnal men, rejected by God (Oj 1:12; OJ 3: 6). No man in this filthy generation is elected to be holy and faultless, so little elected to be saved, because in a single event, the disobedience of Adam, all become unclean.

However, according to the will of God is coming from imperishable seed. This seed produces spiritual men, elected of God because of the head of a new generation, which is Christ. Christ, the final Adam is the man elected, in whom all the families of the Earth would be fortunate ones ‘.

God did not choose anyone among the children of Adam to salvation. Why? Because the seed of Adam all sinned and were deprived of the glory of God (Rm 3:23). God’s law is irrevocable: the soul that sins this will die! As the separation of God spread to all men, means that all have sinned, i.e. all died. The men generated according to the flesh are killed in crimes and sins, this prevents are elected by God to be holy and blameless (Ephesians 2: 1; Eph 1: 4).

Only being born again cannot take part of new generation, the moment that the new man inherit eternal life and become holy and blameless before God according to election Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, viva, and that remains forever (1Pe 1:23). This is why Jesus presented to Nicodemus the need to be born again (Jn 3: 3).

That is, the man is not elected to be born again, before it rises again through incorruptible seed, and after regeneration, becomes a member of the chosen generation, which makes it holy and blameless before God.

Would like someone died in crimes and sins be elected of God as holy and faultless? No! That’s why it appeared the kindness and love of God, according to his mercy, by saving the men by washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3: 5).

However, as the generation of Adam was rejected, because all along were filthy, God, through his mercy, not by works of righteousness that the man has done, but for your great and infinite love, he chose those who believed in Christ, the last Adam. Christ is the head of the chosen generation. Christ is the elect of God before the foundation of the world, and all generated him part of generation elected, namely, were chosen to be holy and blameless (Ephesians 1: 4; 1Pe 1:20).

How can God have chosen Christians before the foundation of the world? Simple! Just as Christ is the elect of God, God chose the generation of Christ, the last Adam, to be holy and blameless before him. All that Christ is born (generated), are elected from God. Therefore, God did not choose particular individuals to be saved, before elected the generation of Christ to be holy and faultless.

The generation of the sons of God, through incorruptible seed, which is the word of God, was elected by God since time immemorial to be holy and blameless before him, totally different from the condition of the children of Adam: enemies and unclean Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, viva, and that remains forever (1Pe 1:23).

God was pleased with his son, because Christ is pleasant, and chose his generation, because the generation of Adam became filthy. Christ is the elect of God, in whom his soul delights. Christ was granted by God for Alliance and light to the Gentiles (Is 42: 1 and 6). In this way, God turned the darkness into light and straightened what is tortuous (Is 42: 16). Through the new generation in Christ the sons of darkness become sons of light, and all those who were transported from darkness to light (saved) through faith in Christ are elect of God to be holy and blameless.

With respect to generation of Adam is sure that, when they leave this existence, following the judgment of the works, as are doomed because of the disobedience of Adam. It is also true that, among those generated from Adam who believe in the Gospel, are judged and die with Christ are baptized into his death to that ressurjam a new creature.

In this way, there is no way God choose Adam’s seed for someone to be saved, since:

the) if creem, die with Christ after resurfacing in a new creature, and;

b) If you don’t believe, go to perdition.

Therefore, God does not choose anyone raised from seed of Adam to be saved.

Another point: salvation at all times stems from faith, however, in addition to being saved, born of Jesus Christ are elected to be holy and blameless and predestined to children for adoption. All those are generated from imperishable seed through Christ, the faith is concerned, are the elect, since this is the Lord’s generation, the generation separate to be elected, santa and faultless!

God chose Christ and his generation! Christ is elected and precious stone also in deed if it contains: Behold, I lay in Zion a Chief corner stone, elect and precious; And those who believe it will not be confused (1Pe 2: 6). As the last Adam is the living stone, chosen and precious, Christians also are living stones, similarly, elected and precious to God (1 pet. 2: 4 and 5).

The Calvinist and the theories, arminianista, consider that those elected are individuals who God chose to be saved, or by their sovereignty or for its prescience. If such placements were all correct, the saved never lost, might belong to all because every individual is elected or rejected (sovereign or prescientemente) before the foundation of the world.

What the Bible demonstrates is the existence of two generations. There are the lost generation, people generated according to the will of the flesh, the desire of the man and the blood, where no one is elected, because says individuals who together turned aside and of the glory of God (Rm 3:12; Rm 3:23). And there is the generation of the saved, which are people generated new according to the will of God (Oj 1:12 -13), which previously belonged to the generation of lost.

There is no way belong to the generation of saved without first belonging to the generation of lost, since, first is the carnal, then come the spiritual (1 Cor. 15:46). It is at this point that God works wonderfully because it uses the same ‘ dough ‘ (lost) and makes her a new man (Rm 9:21), divine creation that generates a new man in the condition of Christ’s brothers, and Christ, in turn, Firstborn among many brethren.

The Bible shows that, through Christ, the only begotten son elected introduced in world, God brings into existence new men, born of their desire and according to its consent that had proposed in Christ, so that he might be the firstborn among many brethren (Rm 8:29; Hb 2:10). After die and be buried with Christ, God uses the same mass (clay) to make vessels for honor. All who die reappear with Christ: are the new generated, because they are given a new heart and a new spirit. Are new creatures because they are in Christ and, as everything becomes new (new heart and new spirit), are now elected of God (2Co 5:17; Sl 51: 10; Ez 36: 26; Is 57: 15). The mystery of the election down in generation. That is why the Apostle Peter says that Christians of dispersion were elected: “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the fat her, in the sanctification of the spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace and peace be multiplied unto you” (1 pet. 1: 2). Why are Christians elect according to the foreknowledge? Foresight says of the descendant and therefore their offspring. As well as the death would reign among men, in advance God predicted the triumph of Christ on the cross, which became the precursor of the new generation, because only He would lead many sons to glory of God (Hb 2:10). Beforehand (before coming to existence) God elected the last Adam’s offspring, progeny of CHRIST (descending). Such offspring says of all who believe in the Gospel, which makes them Holy and blameless before him (Eph 1: 4).

Aware of this election, the Apostle Peter bless God: “blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his great mercy, in the generated again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, incontaminável, and that cannot wither, stored in the heavens for you” (1 pet. 1: 2 -3). The Apostle Peter explains that, through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, God again generated men on condition that the sons of God (Eph 1:19 -20).

And how is this new generation? God purified men by obedience to the truth “Purifying your soul by the spirit in obedience to the truth …” (1Pe 1:22). This purification was portrayed by Ezekiel: “Then aspergirei (spirit) pure water (obedience to the truth)” about you, and purified appreciation; from all your filthiness and filthiness and from all your idols you purely purge away. And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you … ” (Ez 36: 25 -26; Jo 15: 3).It is certain that the man has already been raised once, from seed that the Father not planted (Mt 15:13). Now, through Christ, the last Adam, men are again raised by the word of God, which is Christ, the Incarnate Word, becoming trees of Justice “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, viva, and that r emains forever” (1 1:23). As Christians if achegaram to Christ, the living stone, chosen and precious, now also are living stones, they are spiritual home and Holy Priesthood (1 Peter 2: 5). Now, because they have been raised again, Christians are the chosen generation. Note the difference: before there were people, i.e. were not chosen, are now the people of God, for they are the chosen generation.

That is why when writing the second epistle, the Apostle Peter recommends to Christians who, by the exceeding great and precious promises of the Gospel, they became partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1: 4), add faith to virtue, and virtue, science, etc. Why? Not to become idle (2Pe 1: 8). In this tuning, the Christian becomes firmer your call and election, which prevents tripping over a thing (2Pe 1:10; Tg 3: 2).

If the election is for salvation, there is no need to talk about make it firmer. But, if the election is afforded by the new generation on condition that the new man belongs, when the Christian message applies to your call (evangelhovocação), this is firmer, i.e. free of limp between two thoughts and action of false teachers. Any who so acts, will be granted broad input in the heavens! (2Pe 2:11), which does not match with the assumption of Calvinist doctrine and arminianista of the election, that salvation is for some chosen, regardless of whether or not to meet called.

The Apostle Paul showed that the election of Israel stems from parents: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Rm 11:28), other than the election of few remaining Jews who became Christians, that is the election from da graça (Rm 11: 5). What comes to the election of grace?

Because of the Patriarch Abraham, their descendants were elected to belong to the nation of Israel (Dt 10:15; Is 41: 8), so that election always appears in the Bible in connection with affiliation, descent. But the promise of bliss does not derive from the election of parents, before the election says Descendant promised to Abraham, which is only the participant that he are generated. Therefore, the election has to do with the generation: there was the election according to the parents, and there is the election according to the descendant, who is Christ (Is 65: 9). In both cases, to be elected it is necessary to be descended, an issue linked to generation.

The Apostle Paul appoints the Christians of Ephesus of Saints and faithful, i.e. belonging to the family of God through the Gospel of Christ (Eph 2:19), a condition that refers to the fact of having been generated from God (Eph 5: 8). In this verse: As also elected us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love (Eph 1: 4), it cannot be concluded that God elected individuals to be saved before should consider that all Christians (US) were elected (elected) in Christ before the foundation of the world to be generated according to Christ.

Before the foundation of the world God chose the descent of Christ to be holy and blameless before him. The Apostle Paul makes reference to an event that has in its scope the fact Christians are descendants of Christ, because they were created again (Ef 2:10), having Christ as the corner stone and the Christians built up on it as the Holy Temple (Ef 2:20 -22), the same concept exposed by the Apostle Peter (Ex 19: 5 -6).

When writing to the Philippians the Apostle Paul makes a clear distinction between the relevant condition to the generation of the sons of God and the generation of this world that ye may be blameless and sincere, children of God without fault in the midst of a corrupt and perverse generation, among which resplandeceis as stars in the world (Fl 2:15).

Christ appoints the generation of scribes and Pharisees a generation evil and adulterous But he answered them, and said: A poor and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but not if you give another signal other than the prophet Jonah (Mt 12:39; Sl 78: 8), but this feature does not apply only to the Pharisees to the time of Christ, before says of the generation of the wicked.

Since when flying around for forty years in the desert to Christ, God protests against the nation of Israel, that constitutes a people who misses the heart, because it does not have known the ways of the Lord (Psalm 95: 10). Several ‘ generations ‘, however God protests against a same generation, the generation that originated in the disobedience of Adam (43: 27). Because of Adam the sons of Jacob were bad and Adulterers, and spun on the idea that remained were generation of Abraham. But the promise of God says of Christ, who is powerful seed on Earth “to your seed will be powerful on Earth;” the generation of the upright shall be blessed (Psalm 112: 2). The generation of Christ is Lord’s Plantation, trees of Justice (Is 61: 3).

This promise was not to the generation of Adam, but for the future generation of the people that God had created to praise of the glory of God this will write to the future generation; and the people that create will commend to the Lord (Psalm 102: 18; Is 61: 3; Ef and Ef 4:24 1:12).

Everything regarding the election is coming from the following promise: “I made a Covenant with my chosen, and swore to my servant David, saying, thy seed shall settle for forever, and I will build your throne from generation to generation” (Psalm 89: 3; Ef 2:12).

Just as the Bible presents two doors, two paths, two seeds, two pots, two gentlemen, also features two generations, being rejected, generation of Adam and Christ the elected, because as It is are the ones who believe in it here in this world: elected of God, the generation of the Lord! (1Jo 4:17; Sl 24: 6 and Sl 15: 1; 1 1Co:15:48)

Only one seed, the word of God, brings to life a new generation elected Mr a seed the serve; will be declared to every generation (Sl 22:30), election which make them Saints put because, as elected of God, Holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering (Cl 3:12).