Teaching Our Children Ephesians 6:4 A command given to Fathers by Paul in Ephesians 6:4 (Ephesians 6:4), “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Indicates this is an important thing in God’s eyes. We want to consider why, and discuss for a bit the importance of teaching our children in the ways of God. Ephesians 6:4

Taking responsibility for one’s actions. Accountability Taking responsibility for one’s actions. Regarding our spiritual responsibilities, being accountable indicates a person has the mental and moral capacity to make decisions. When a person has the mental and moral capacity to make decisions, God holds him accountable for those decisions (Romans 14:12), “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Ezekiel 18:20), “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” When one does not have the moral or mental capability to make decisions we conclude God does not hold him answerable (2 Corinthians 8:12), “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.” Context giving of money (God doesn’t expect what you don’t have). Principle, all things. God’s fairness precludes Him from requiring what one is incapable of supplying. This truth has an impact upon the standing of infants and small children…

Infants and Small Children are not Accountable! They are innocent of sin because their moral capacity has not yet developed to where God holds them accountable for their decisions. (Matthew 18:2-3; 19:14) (Matthew 18:2-3), “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.’” (Matthew 19:14), “But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’” Note: Accountability is not directly related to knowledge. (Training in God’s word may speed up the process a bit, but ignorance of God’s word does not make a person unaccountable to God). There comes a time when children become morally responsible before God for their attitudes and actions (Romans 3:23), “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  There is no magic age in the Bible assuring us that from that moment on a child is morally developed and therefore accountable to God for his or her attitudes and actions. Every child develops at a different rate. When is a child accountable? When God holds him accountable for his actions!

The Bible Picture of Youth & Accountability Joseph (age 17) Genesis 37:2 Josiah (age 8, 16) 2 Chronicles 34:1-3 Jesus (age 12) Luke 2:42,49 Still, the Bible gives us a picture of young people who understood their accountability to God and who decided to obey God in their youth. Joseph was seventeen years old when he was sold into Egyptian slavery. As a youth he faced tremendous challenges to his faith (Genesis 37:2), “Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers.” Josiah became king of Judah at the age of eight, and at sixteen years of age he began to seek after God. From an early age he recognized his responsibility to and his accountability before God. (2 Chronicles 34:1-3), “Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty- one years in Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images.” Jesus was twelve years old when he said that he must “be about my Father’s business” (Luke 2:42, 49), “And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast….” (49), “And He said to them, " Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

Applications Young people can and should think about God! (Ecclesiastes 12:1) Children can and should be learning about God! (Ephesians 6:4) Parents, Grandparents and concerned brethren must teach the children! (cf. 2 Timothy 1:5) These Bible examples of young people teach us several things, including: Young people can and should think about God. We must encourage them to remember God in their youth. (Ecclesiastes 12:1), “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’” Children can and should be learning about God. Early instruction from God’s word is invaluable to their spiritual development (Ephesians 6:4), “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Parents, grandparents and concerned brethren are the ones who must teach children to prepare for their accountability before God (2 Timothy 1:5), “when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

Conclusion (Psalm 78:4-8) If we wait until they are close to the age of moral capacity and accountability, we have waited far too long! (Psalm 78:4-8) (Psalm 78:4-8), “We will not hide them [God’s Precepts] from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. 5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; 6 That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, 7 That they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments; 8 And may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.” Unless we teach our children about God and Christ, about moral responsibility, accountability and living by faith, no one else will. Then, they must choose whom they will serve. (Young people, you are personally accountable to God!)