Preparing Your Kids for the Real World (Part 05) - Spiritual Development (Part A)

Watch the video of this sermon on YouTube: Preparing Your Kids for the Real World (Part 05) - Spiritual Development (Part A) For the outline and the rest of the sermons in this series, click here: Preparing Your Kids For The Real World To listen to or watch the previous sermon in the series, click here: (Part 4) To listen to or watch the next sermon in the series, click here: (Part 6) IV. Spiritual development 1. What if your children are not elect? A. This is not something to worry yourself with because it is God's choice, not yours (Joh 1:13; Rom 9:11-16). B. Raise all of your children as if they are God's elect by doing the things listed below. C. If your children are elect: i. If your children are God's children and they embrace the faith out of pure heart, then give God the glory (2Jo 1:4; 3Jo 1:4). ii. If your children are God's children and they reject the faith after you taught them well by instruction and example, then you are off of God's hook because you did your job (Eze 3:19; Eze 33:9; Act 20:26-27), and God will chasten them (Heb 12:6). iii. If your children reject the faith and it appears that they are being judged by God afterward, then that is evidence that they are children of God because God only chastens His children (Heb 12:7). iv. If your children are God's children, and they reject the faith because you did not teach them and live it as an example for them, then you will be judged by God for it (Eze 3:20; Eze 33:8). D. If your children are reprobates: i. If your children are not God's children and they reject the faith, and you didn't teach nor warn them, then God will judge you for not warning them (Eze 3:18; Eze 33:8). ii. If your children are not God's children and they reject the faith after you have taught and warned them, then you can live in peace because you trained them up in the way that they should go (Eze 3:19; Eze 33:9). iii. If your children do not appear to be under God's judgment after they reject the faith, then that is evidence that they are not children of God because those that are not chastised by God are bastards and not sons (Heb 12:8). iv. If your children are reprobates, hopefully they will be decent, hardworking reprobates who will be good children to you. v. If your children are not God's children and they embrace the faith with a feigned faith, God will root them out eventually (1Jo 2:19; Mat 22:11-14). vi. This is a sad outcome, but you will bear no guilt for it because you did what you were commanded to do. 2. Teach them to believe in God. A. Teach them that God is real (Heb 11:6) and He lives in heaven (Mat 6:9). B. Teach them that God created the universe, the earth, and everything in it (Gen 1:1). C. Teach them that Jesus Christ is God (Joh 1:1,14; 1Ti 3:16) and that He lives in heaven (Mar 16:19). D. Teach them that the Lord Jesus Christ is a real superman. E. There is no need to imagine super heroes who can do incredible things because Jesus Christ is REAL and has ALL POWER (Mat 28:18; Eph 1:20-23). 3. Teach them the scriptures. A. The scriptures are the revealed will of God. B. The word of God is the truth (Joh 17:17; Psa 119:142, 151). C. The word of God will prevent us from sinning against God when it is read and hidden in the heart (Psa 119:11). D. Taking heed to the word of God will enable a young man to cleanse his way (Psa 119:9). E. The scriptures will make a young man wise unto salvation (2Ti 3:15). F. It is the parents' duty, and primarily the fathers', to teach their children the scriptures (Eph 6:4; Pro 22:6; Psa 78:4-6; Isa 38:19). G. It is as important to read the Bible daily as it is to eat daily (Mat 4:4). i. You wouldn't like to go a day, much less many days, without food and drink for your body; don't starve your soul by depriving it of its nourishment. ii. You NEED it! Just as your body needs a continual supply of nourishment, so does your soul. iii. Reading or studying something once does not mean you have no more need of reading or studying it again; no more than eating or drinking something once means you have no more need of eating or drinking it again. iv. Make time to consume God's word just like you make time to eat. v. Make it part of your daily routine. vi. The further you get from the consumption of food, the weaker you become. vii. That is true naturally and that is true spiritually. viii. In other words, the further you get from consuming God's word, the weaker you become spiritually, thus the more susceptible you are to falling, to being overcome by the enemy, etc. ix. Use this analogy with your children to help them understand the importance of reading the word of God. 4. Teach them to obey God. A. Teach your children that their whole duty is to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecc 12:13; Deu 13:4; Deu 27:10). B. Teach them that God will bless them for obeying Him and curse them for disobeying Him (Deu 11:26-28; Deu 30:19-20). C. Teach them that if they love Jesus Christ, they must keep His commandments (Joh 14:15). 5. Teach them to love and seek the truth. A. Teach your children that God is seeking them that seek to worship Him in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:23-24). B. Teach them that if they seek the truth with their whole heart they will find it (Jam 1:5-7; Pro 2:1-6). C. Teach them that knowing Jesus Christ in truth is worth giving up anything and everything (Php 3:8). D. Teach them to seek God in their youth (Pro 8:17; Ecc 12:1; Lam 3:26-27; 2Ch 34:3; Isa 55:6-7).