I do not think that any Christian parent would argue with me when I say that it is incredibly important to teach our children about God and the Bible. However, I want to consider the idea of “what if we do not teach our children.” What if we do not teach our children about the Lord? What if we do not teach our children as well as we should about the Bible?
In Judges 2:10 the Bible states the following: “And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel.” This description regarding the state of the people of Israel at that time is incredibly alarming. At this point in Israel’s history not only had the Lord brought the people out of Egyptian bondage, He had also led Israel in such things as the destruction of Jericho. Yet, somehow, the people of Israel allowed a generation to rise up who did not know the Lord. It appears that the people of Israel did not teach their children about the Lord and what He had done for them.
As a Bible school teacher I have seen many types of children come into my classroom. While each child may be at Bible class each week, some have a lot of knowledge of God and His Word at a young age, and some do not. A Bible school teacher only has a limited amount of time with children each week, while parents have much more. I think that, more than likely, those children who had a stronger knowledge of the Bible were taught at home. It is very important that parents teach their children throughout the week. In fact, fathers are commanded to teach their children in Ephesians 6:4: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
So, what if we do not teach our children? As in Judges 2:10, a generation could rise up who do not know the Lord. I do not want to be responsible for a generation of people who do not know God. If I am blessed to have children I want to share with them all that God has done for His people. I want my children to know that God loved the world so much that He sent Christ to die for our sins (John 3:16), and that if we are obedient to Him we will have a home in heaven. Christians must be diligent in educating and raising their children in the Lord, so that when their children are grown they will know and serve the Lord, and teach their children as well.