Teach the Principles

Yesterday, I read an article about a school which had been rated as one worst in the state for teaching reading.  By switching from the Common Core reading program to a traditional program, they became one of the best within two years.    After reading the philosophy behind Common Core, ti was not hard to understand why the kids were having trouble reading. 

In an effort to excite the kids about being able to read, the Common Core program starts by having the kids memorize words, then read them in sentences.  As a result, the kids can begin reading within a day or two, which builds their confidence immensely.   They can only read books which are limited to the words they have memorized, so it at some point it becomes necessary to introduce the concept of sounding out the words by teaching them phonics.  Unfortunately, having been able to read their first few books so easily, the children have difficulty understanding why they need to learn the principles of phonics since they can already read and resent having to learn all the rules, limiting their ability to read. 

The traditional method starts with teaching the alphabet and the different sounds each letter makes, them combining the different sounds to form words using phonetic principles.  It takes several days for the children to learn to read simple words like cat or dog, but before long they begin sounding out words they don’t know.   By using those phonetic rules, they understand their importance, and with practice, can read anything they find.  Their ability to understand what they read is limited only by the size of their vocabulary.   They started by learning and applying basic principles, then building on them.

The traditional approach lays a solid foundation for reading before beginning to tread, while Common core attempts to start reading, then tries to build the foundation later.  It is a little bit like trying to build the house, then put a foundation under it.  What they have already built or learned gets in the way of learning the basics, and many students give up on building the foundation.    

Initially, laying a proper foundation, whether for building a building or for training children doesn’t appear to accomplish much in the way of reaching the goal, but the more carefully the foundation is laid, the easier it will be to construct the building or train the children later, and the more satisfactory the finished product will be. 

Unfortunately, the traditional method of teaching reading fell out of favor because people tried to take shortcuts, just has often happened in building homes.    Just as a contractor may try to save time or money by not properly compacting the soil or skimping on materials, teachers would sometimes teach only a few of the phonetic principles, with the result that the kids struggled to sound out words and became discouraged with reading.  Because they quit practicing, their skills stopped growing and they were unable to read at grade level.   The results were the same as they are with Common Core. 

If we are to train our children so that they will continue to practice the proper lifestyles when they are old, we need to lay a solid foundations for them to build on.  This requires teaching them the principles found in God’s law relating to pleasing God, and those in Proverbs about living a satisfactory and productive life as thoroughly as possible.   We must not stop with teaching them to get saved, be baptized, and go to church.  If we do, they are unlikely grow as Christians, and many will drop out.   If we teach the principles, they will have a solid foundation and can continue to grow

A Thorough Program

In modern schools, we tend to focus on a single subject such as arithmetic or English or reading, analyzing every aspect of that subject.   Isolating the subject in such a manner makes it easy for the teacher to explain and enables the student to quickly gain an understanding of the basic principles involved.   Unfortunately, isolating the subject in such a manner makes it more difficult to understand how it relates to other areas of life, and students are left wondering why they were forced to study subjects such as algebra or the parts of speech.   It is not uncommon to hear someone say they have never used algebra since they finished the class, not understanding that every arithmetic computation they have ever made, whether adding the prices of things they are buying, or computing the gas mileage on their car is dependent on the principles of algebra.    As a result of such isolation of subjects, modern employers complain that graduates today lack critical thinking skills, i.e. the ability to relate principles they learned in school to what they are trying to accomplish at work. 

Proverbs uses an ancient method of teaching than has proven effective in hundreds of cultures for thousands of years.   Life seldom focuses on just one point, and everything that happens affects and is related to other actions and events.  In a similar manner, Proverbs jumps from one subject to another, usually dealing with only one or two aspects of the subject before switching topics.  Because no subject tis isolated, the students are less likely to compartmentalize things, and thus are more flexible in their thinking. 

Fearing the student will not get a complete understanding of a subject modern teachers tend to try to group all the proverbs about a single subject together , because it makes it easier to teach in the modern programs.     To help understand how completely proverbs integrates the various teachings into daily life, let’s look at the teachings on anger that we started in the previous post.  Let’s just see what we learn about anger by going through the book. 

“A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.” (Proverbs 12:16)  A fool makes his wrath known to everybody, because as we see in Proverbs 14:3, “In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.”  They use their anger like a club to get their way. 

Proverbs 14:17 tells us, “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly.”   People who lose their temper easily do and say foolish things without thinking about the consequences.  Smart people think about the results of what they say, according to Proverbs 14:29.  “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.”  People who are quick to make judgments and get angry promote stupidity. 

Proverbs 15:1 tells us, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”  An agreeable pleasant response to people diverts their anger and makes them more willing to listen.  A confrontational approach only makes them angrier and less willing to listen.  One’s own attitude determines how he will approach others.   Proverbs 15:18 tells us, “A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.”  When we are angry we tend to say things that make matters worse.

Proverbs 16:32 tells us, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”   As we saw in Proverbs 14:29, “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.”  His wisdom keeps him from losing his temper and doing or saying stupid or hurtful things, as Proverbs 19:11 tells us.  “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.”  Because he doesn’t get mad, he is able to reduce the conflict, earning respect from others.  His self-control makes him more valuable than others at whatever he might do.   Proverbs 20:3 tells us, “It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.”  Fools keep stirring things up.

A person with a hot temper does really stupid things that get him ito trouble.  Proverbs 19:19 warns, “A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.”    Because he doesn’t consider the consequences of his actions when he is angry, sooner or later he will get mad and get in trouble again. 

Just as a pleasant and agreeable response to a person will defer their anger, a gift or reward for something  iverts attention from one’s anger, making it easier to deal with them, according to Proverbs 21:14.  “A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.”

Proverbs 21:24 tells us that a person who uses his pride and anger like a club to get his way lacks respect for God and for other people.  “Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.”  As proverbs 14:3 tells us it is a foolish attitude, and proverbs 22:8 warns, “He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.”  Sooner or later, people will get fed up, and his anger and threats will not stop people.  He will have to suffer the consequences for his actions. 

Don’t associate with people who are hot tempered or constantly angry, because they will constantly stir up your anger and you will begin to have the same angry attitude they have, according to Proverbs 22:24-25.  “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.”  That angry attitude will cause you the same trouble it causes them. 

Proverbs 27:3-4 tells us, “A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.  Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?”   A fool’s wrath over unimportant details is terrible burden.  It becomes physically or emotionally abusive, with them making outrageous demands in their anger, and if it turns to envy, becomes even worse.   In a marriage, it can become unbearable.   Proverbs 21:19 says, ”It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.”  It would be better to live in the dessert alone than to have to constantly put up with a mate’s anger.    It would be better to be homeless than to have nice house but be constantly fighting, as Proverbs 25:24 tells us.  “It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house. “  What would be a minor problem in someone you are not married to becomes a real annoyance when you have to deal with it every day, as Proverbs 27:15-16 tells us.  “A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.  Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.” 

Proverbs 29:22 warns, “An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.”  As we have already seen an angry person says and does things that anger others, foolishly doing things that get him into trouble, and often violating God’s commands.  As proverbs 30:33 tells us his actions and attitude will surely cause fights.  “Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.”

By simply teaching one proverb at a time, we can teach all these principles to our children in portions they can assimilate.  Because they are intermixed with various other subjects they will begin to see them as integral parts of life rather than some isolated subject.   The subject will have been thoroughly covered in the process.  

Our Training Manual

As I wrote in the introductory post of this series, training requires teaching the principles thoroughly, until the response becomes automatic in any situation.   Training our kids to consistently do what is right starts with systematically teaching what is right and keeping it constantly in their minds, by discussion, and by writing it in places where they are constantly reminded.  Training carries it further, showing how those principles apply in various real life situations.  It involves thinking things through and deciding which principles apply in a teaching setting so that they can quickly grasp what is happening and act effectively and expeditiously in similar situations. 

Solomon compiled Proverbs and wrote the book specifically as a training manual.  He wrote it in the form of a personal letter to his son, but it applies equally to both men and women.  He explains the purpose in Proverbs 1:1-6.  “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.   A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

The proverbs are to give one understanding of what is happening so that those who lack experience or are not yet intellectually mature can make good and intelligent decisions.   Smart people will listen and take the time to understand what the proverbs are teaching, even when the meaning is not obvious.    As we have already seen, learning these principles starts with a respect for God and for one’s parents.  Stupid people assume the laws and principles don’t apply to them and consider it a waste of time to learn them.  Proverbs 1:7-9 advises, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.”  Stupid people are often very smart, they just don’t bother to learn.  Those who take the time to learn will look very intelligent by comparison, avoiding many of the problems. 

Because Proverbs has thirty one chapters, many pastors have recommended reading a one chapter every day with your children.  Unfortunately, such an approach loses much of the benefit.  Effective training requires dealing with one situation at a time in depth, until the pupil fully understands what is required.  For example a basketball coach may spend a week or more focusing just on lay-ups before beginning to include other moves to be sure the player has that shot down completely.  Proverbs was originally written in the form of individual principles to be studied independently,  In many cases, they comprise no more than one or two verses, although some are longer.  They were intended to be taught one at a time so that the students had time to fully understand one before moving to the next, and the most effective way of teaching them is to teach them one at a time.    

Because there are so many, many people are concerned about the time required to teach the proverbs individually, but experience and numerous studies have shown that young children can only deal with one subject at a time while older ones may be able to handle three or four.  One reason so many children are not learning what they need to learn in school is that teachers feel pressured to introduce new subjects before the children have learned earlier lessons thoroughly.   If we take the time to make sure they understand each one thoroughly before moving to the next, they will attain the maximum benefit from each one.  While it will take more time than going through a chapter at a time, learning will actually progress faster.   For example, Proverbs 15:1 tells us, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”  Quite simply, how we respond to people will affect their attitude toward us.  A few verses later, Proverbs 15:18 tells us, “A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.”  When people are angry, they tend to say things that irritate or hurtother people, resulting in conflict.  People who do not lose their temper say things that comfort and resuce strife.  With that in mind, Proverbs 16:32 tells us, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”    The person who can defuse the situation and prevent a fight is more valuable than a person who can win the fight.  Thus a person who can control his attitudes and keep from getting angry is worth more than a famous general who has won great victories.  Each proverb builds our understanding. 

Our goal is to train our children so they can have the best life possible in this world and be prepared for eternity.  While it takes time to teach God’s laws and the Proverbs properly, it is time well spent as the effects will be felt for eternity.  We must not allow a sense of urgency to short circuit our efforts to train them.  

A Concentrated Effort To Teach

About two months after bringing Israel out of Egypt, God made his contract or covenant with Israel.  Forty years later, a few days before his death, Moses reviewed the contract with Israel, and reminded them of their responsibility to obey it, in Deuteronomy6:1-5.    

“Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

The laws had been given so that the people would know what God expected of them and how to handle different situations that might arise.  By taking the time to learn what he expected and obeying it they show their love and respect for God, and as a result, They would enjoy the blessings he had promised for generations to come.    It is similar to the promise Jesus made to Christians in John 14:21.  “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”   If we love him enough to learn what he expects and obey him, he will reveal himself to us in special ways, just as he ‘d promised Israel to walk among them.

If they were to experience these blessings in the future generations, it would be incumbent on the Jews to teach their children these same laws.  Their children and grandchildren would have no memory of God freeing them from slavery, or enabling them to cross the Red Sea.  They would not have lived on the manna and quail or seen how God defeated their enemies, so that it would take  a special effort to impress the power and God upon them.  Deuteronomy 6:6-9 describes the extent to which they would need to go. 

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.  And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” 

They were to memorize those laws themselves, and teach them to their children.  They were to constantly talk about what God demanded , so the children would understand how very important it was to obey God.  They were to have copies scattered around their homes as a constant reminder of What God demands.  If they failed to impress their children with the importance of obeying, they would develop a sense of entitlement, convinced they were better than other people and deserved the blessings just because they are Jews, as Deuteronomy 6:10-12 warns. 

   

“And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”  

Today we see that same attitude of superiority and entitlement among the Americans,  If we want to continue to receive God’s blessings, we are going to have to learn to obey God’s laws ourselves and make a concentrated effort to teach our children to do so.    We need to remember, actions have consequences.

What Does God Expect?

God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt because of his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  After they crossed the Red Sea and Pharaoh and his army were destroyed, God promised to bless them if they would obey him in Exodus 15:26.  “…If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.”  Later,God offered to make a contract or covenant with Israel, as Exodus 19:4-6 describes.  “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.   Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.”     

Having seen His miracles on their behalf the people were interested, so God gave them a condensed version of what they would be expected to do, to see if they were really interested.  It only showed the general ideas and did not go into details.  This condensed summary of his expectations is known commonly known as the Ten Commandments, and is found in Exodus 20:1-17.    Without a clear understanding of what he expects, it would be impossible to obey him. 

“And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:1-7)

If Israel agreed to the contract, they would have to commit to not worship any other gods besides God himself.  They were not to worship anything in nature, by bowing down to it, or offering sacrifices, or even by making pictures of statues of it.   They were to recognize it was God who provided the food, Creating the animal or plant, and enabling them to obtain it, and were not to give the credit to anything else, including the animal or plant.    He would take offense if they did so, but would richly bless anyone who honored him.    They were not to use his name lightly or in a disrespectful manner.

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” (Exodus 20:8-11)

They were to constantly remember that God had created the world and that it belongs to him.  As a reminder, they were to set the Sabbath day aside as a special day, doing no work, but dedicating it to God, rather than their own ends.  In addition, they were to show their respect by treating other people with respect if they wanted to receive God’s blessings.  Failure to do so would result in serious consequences.   The rest to the Ten Commandments deal with how we treat other people.    

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.  Thou shalt not kill.  Thou shalt not commit adultery.   Thou shalt not steal.  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.   hou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.” (Exodus 20:12-17)

By obeying God’s lay, and respecting the rights and property of other people, the Jews would be showing their respect for God.   In return, God promised to bless them in various ways.  Leviticus 26:3-12 gives additional details about what God will do if they will obey him. 

“If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.  And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.

And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.  And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.  And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.  And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new.  And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.  And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.”

They would be protected from diseases, from drought and famine, from invasion by other countries, and from worrying about having shortages.    They would also experience a closeness with God, with him accompanying them on a daily basis.    Romans 2:11-15 indicates the same is true for those who are not Jews if they will obey God’s principles.  “ For there is no respect of persons with God.  For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” 

Clearly, if we care about our children, and their future happiness, it would be worth teaching them to respect God by following his law.  The book of Leviticus provides complete details about keeping the principles listed in the Ten Commandments.    For more teaching on God’s law visit the Section on Leviticus, or check out my book, Loving God, Loving Man, at https://www.amazon.com/Loving-God-Man-Essence-Levitical/dp/1514616521/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8.

Teaching God’s Standards

Because of Paul’s statement in Romans 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth,” many have concluded the Old Testament is no longer applicable today and no longer teach the Old Testament standards and principles of behavior.  They assume Paul’s statement supersedes Jesus’ statement in Matthew 5:18, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

As so often happens they have begun to set the scriptures against each other rather than accepting that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” according to II Timothy 3:16.  God does not change, nor does Jesus Christ, and their standards of right and wrong have never changed.   Because they are both scripture, both statements are equally true and we do not get to choose between them.  There are no contradictions in scripture, as many believe.  The problem is that we have not taken the trouble to see what the scriptures actually say. 

Let’s look at Romans 10:4 again.  “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”  It did not say Christ is the end of the Law for everyone, but only that he is the end of the law for those who believe, for those who have put their faith in Him, indicating it is still in effect for the rest of the world.  Because of his belief, the Christians relationship to the law has changed. 

With that understanding, let’s go back and look more closely at what Jesus was saying in Matthew 5:17-19.  “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

In the old Testament, obedience to God’s law was the evidence of one’s faith in his promises, and people obeyed the law in an effort to assure their salvation.  Christ fulfilled the law for us, and our salvation is assured so that Christians no longer have to practice it.  Instead, they obey it as a demonstration of their love and appreciation for Christ’s sacrifice.  Their rewards in heave wil be affected by how they have practiced and taught that law.   I Corinthians 3:13-15 tells us,  “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.   If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”  Christians who have not lived in accordance with the law will lose the rewards, but not their salvation. 

In Galatians 1-4 Paul gives a thorough explanation of the Christians relationship to the law.  In Galatians 3:24, he declares that “…the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”  Romans 3:20 tells us, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Understanding God’s standard of right and wrong will not save us, but it will make people understand they are sinners and need a Savior. 

If we care about our children and want them to turn to Christ, we need to teach them the principles and standards set in the Old Testament law so that they understand their need of Christ as Savior.  Without the Old Testament teachings they do not really understand that they are sinners.  Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” becomes just a general statement about humanity that doesn’t really apply to them personally because they are not aware of any sins they have committed.  They can accept it as a fact with no real sense of conviction or repentance. The law makes us aware of the wickedness of our own sin, according to Romans 7:12-13.  “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.  Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.”  When people understand their personal sinful state and the consequences of sin, they can understand why they need a savior. 

Because we have failed to teach the Law, many professing Christians have no real understanding of what salvation means.  It is just a ritual that one does to get to heaven and means very little to them.  As a result sin is rampant in the church today, and many teachers and parents will loses their rewards.  .

Ultimate Respect For God

Without an authoritative god who sets an absolute standard of good and evil, any moral code is just a standard set by a society for their own convenience, and good or evil are subjective concepts depending on who is in charge at the moment.  Actions such as murder or fraud are considered good or bad only in light of whether they further one’s cause of impede it.  Ultimately, a society’s moral behavior is guided by what they worship.  Unfortunately that is not always their religion. 

As a result of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden, mankind developed a sense of right and wrong we call a conscience.  Because of that conscience we feel guilt when we hurt other people or go against God.  Drugs and alcohol contain poisons that can kill if too much is taken.  Drug addicts and alcoholics begin with small doses and gradually their bodies develop a tolerance to the poisons so that they can use amounts that would be instantly fatal to other people, even feeling that something is wrong when the poisons are not present.  The poisons produce physical damage and addicts develop behaviors to alleviate or ameliorate the discomfort of the damage while continuing to use the drugs or alcohol because they like the sensation it produces.   In much the same way, the conscience can become tolerant of sinful activities, and when the side effects become too serious they try to ameliorate the guilt, while continuing to do what causes the guilt.  This is often some kind of religious or moral code,

Though a person may claim to worship any of various religious deities as god, their real god is the thing or things that are most important to them. Their god may be wealth, power, prestige or fame, sex, family, alcohol, or some religion.  Anything that interferes with those things becomes an obstacle to be overcome.  The religious and moral codes are adapted to ameliorate the guilt without interfering with the pleasure their particular god gives them. Just as the drugs or alcohol continue to harm the addict’s body despite his efforts to alleviate the discomfort, the worship of other things as one’s god continues to produce guilt, despite the efforts to cover it up. 

Some people decide the pleasure drugs or alcohol provide isn’t worth the damage it does to their body, and stop using them, to stop the damage.  Instead of trying to ameliorate or alleviate the problems caused by their following other gods, people can choose to make God the most important thing in their life and giving him their full respect.  When they do, they will develop a respect for all of his creation, both the natural world and humanity, because he created it, and that respect will change the way they treat them. 

There are definite benefits for Making God our God.  John 14:21 tells us, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”  When we respect and love God enough to learn what he commands and obey him, we get to know him in  away others don’t, just as a child who loves his dad gets to know him in a way other people do not.  One result of that relationship is peace, according to John 14:27.  “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you…”   

Our children follow the example we set before them when they are small.  As they mature, they begin to analyze the results of the example we have set, and decide whether to follow it or not.  If they see the peace of God in our lives, they will not be fooled by the apparent pleasures the world offers, but we cannot train them to follow God when our own focus is divided between him and something else.   If we are going to train them to worship God, we are going to have to put away our other Gods and focus strictly on obeying him so that they can see that he is the most important thing to us, and that our obeying him has been worthwhile. If we try to serve God and follow some other goal such as wealth, they don’t know what to think because as James 1:8 tells us, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”  They may decide to follow something else because it seems more stable.   This is the main reason so many children who were raised in church turn away when they become adults.  

Developing Respect For God

Perhaps the most important thing children learn from discipline is that there are powers greater than themselves and rules than must be obeyed.  If it is done properly, they learn not only to obey but also to respect their parents.  Ephesians 6:1-4 commands, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.  Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.  And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

 Learning to respect and obey their parents can help them avoid potentially fatal decisions, as wel as helping them do things in way that makes their life better.  For the children to learn proper respect is crucial that the parents be consistent in their discipline, teaching him to do what is right and not making arbitrary, senseless demands, while making it clear they love the child.

The most dangerous lack of all is a lack of respect for God.  Since their parents are their first authority figure, they tend to base their idea of God on their parents, and especially their father.  Because their parents have not disciplined children properly, many children today have little or no respect for their parents.  It has been said that if children do not respect their parents, they will never respect anyone.  This has resulted in disrespect for authority, for other people or their lives, or for moral standards.  Since so many fathers today desert or neglect their families, many children grow up with the idea that God doesn’t really care, or that he is just a source of money or gifts.  They have no idea what role God plays in their life because the father does not play his proper role.  Sadly, some mothers deliberately play on that absence to focus the attention on themselves, further drawing more attention away from God.

Children need to be taught that God is the creator of the world, as Genesis 1:1 tells us.   “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”  They need to understand that Just as they would not exist without their father, and that they have inherited some of their father’s physical traits, humanity was created by God and has certain traits similar to his, as Genesis 1:26-27 tells us.   “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”  Only when they understand that can they understand why God has the right to set standards for humans to follow.  Until they understand that he loves them, they will have a hard time understanding that the standards he has set are intended to protect them and help them to have the best life possible. 

When they have a proper respect for their parents they will find it relatively easy to develop a proper respect for God, and there are a number of promises for those who have a proper respect for Him.  Proverbs 1:1 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Reverence or respect for God is the foundation of all knowledge.  The only reason we can understand physics, or chemistry, or mathematics is because God has designed the world to function in a certain logical manner, obeying physical laws that do not change.  Gravity always pulls objects toward the center of the earth, for example, and boats float because the density of mass of the entire boat is smaller than that of the water, so that gravity pulls the water down harder than it does the boat.   The boat floats when its mass displaces an equal mass of water.  Similar laws govern everything in nature from the motion of the planets to genetics, to the weather, to electricity and nuclear energy.  They If the rules changed, we could never know what would happen when we take an action.  Sometimes the boat would float and other times it would sink.  The transgender movement is the ultimate rejection of God’s authority and power, declaring that He had no right to decide which sex they would be and that they can break his genetic laws by mutilating their bodies with sex change operations and hormone treatments.    

People who insist that there is no God, and thus no absolutes are stuck with the position that ultimately it is a waste of time to learn those laws because they are not always true and the world evolved in a random manner.  The universe clearly demonstrates they are wrong by following certain established rules for thousands of years.  The belief in a logical creator was the impetus which inspired people to study the various sciences, even though some worshipped other gods.  The principles God established still govern the world, and the transgender woman is still just a man pretending to be a woman who has had plastic surgery to help with the pretense.   As the head of the Johns Hopkins psychiatry department said, they have serious psychological problems to believe they can just ignore the laws of nature.    Supporting them in their efforts demonstrates one’s own lack of respect for God and his laws. 

Because God established certain fixed principles that govern how things work, respect for God and his logical creation enables us to apply the principles to make our life easier and better, and avoid dangerous actions.  Proverbs 14:27 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.”  These two things about respect for God are only the tip of the iceberg, but they illustrate the importance of a proper respect for Him. 

If parents are to teach their children to have a proper respect for God, it is crucial they have a respect for him as well.  The more they obey his commands and follow his principles, the more their children will respect them and ultimately God.  To train the children properly, parents must to set the example.  Otherwise our society will continue to deteriorate.  

Training Requires Discipline

There is an old saying that “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.”  If the pudding doesn’t taste good, it really doesn’t matter how good it looks.  The real test of new things is what they produce in real life, not in how good the theory sounds.  The test of a new philosophy for raising children is ultimately how the children turn out.  It was with this in mind that Paul wrote that a pastor or teacher must be “One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)” In I Timothy 3:4-5.  If he can’t teach his own children to serve the Lord, he certainly isn’t qualified to teach other people to serve the Lord. 

Applying that same principle to the new philosophies about raising children, it quickly becomes apparent that the philosophies do not produce satisfactory results.  Doctor Spock was one of the primary proponents of the idea that punishing or otherwise discouraging a child would damage their mental development and discourage their creativity.  By 1957, he had acknowledged that such a philosophy could be carried too far, and began encouraging parents to set consistent and firm standards, and his later writings took a decidedly different approach than his first book.   Unfortunately, the academic world ignored his later conclusions, just as they had done Darwin’s.  The academic world is very quick to embrace a new theory, but they hardly ever admit they made a mistake if the idea doesn’t pan out, continuing to foist it off on their students as fact, to preserve their pride. What doctor Spock advocated in his later years was much closer to what the Bible teaches than his original book, acknowledging that the permissive attitude was causing serious problems in society. 

The Bible presents a clear philosophy for raising children that has been effective since the inception of the world, Throughout history, the more closely a society has followed those principles, the less societal problems they have had.  Today, even many working psychologists and sociologists are recommending at least a partial return to those principles if our culture is to survive. 

As we saw in the previous post, Proverbs 22:6 instructs, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  Training requires actually practicing what we are trying to teach.  Unfortunately, the old saying, “practice makes perfect” is only true if we practicing correctly.  If not, practice makes the mistakes permanent.  Proper training requires correcting those mistakes before they become permanent. 

Some children are eager to please and learn easily, while others resist change, but no child is born with a fully developed understanding of what is good or bad.  Sometimes it is necessary to take action to make them realize that a certain behavior is unacceptable or even dangerous.  Proverbs 11:15 tells us, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”  By taking the time to do what is required to correct their behavior, we can teach the child to make wise decisions and behave properly.  As a result, Proverbs 23:13-14 advises, “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.  Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.”

Many parents today say they just love their child to much to discipline them.  It is far better to spank a child to teach him not to run into the street than to let him be run over.  It is far better to teach a child to pay attention to what the police tell him than to have him shot because he didn’t learn to obey.  Proverbs 13:24 advises, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”  The problem is not that the parents love their child to much to discipline them, but that they don’t love them enough to teach them how to be safe or have a good life. 

Children who are allowed to get by with things become increasingly determined to do as they please without concern for the consequences, as Ecclesiastes 8:11 tells us.  “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”   By not correcting our children when they need it, we are effectively teaching them to do wrong, and with practice that behavior will become permanent.  To prevent that, Proverbs 19:18 advises, “Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.”  The longer you wait to teach him, the harder it will be. 

The Goal of discipline is to make the child aware that their behavior is not acceptable.  It is not to hurt him or even per se, to punish him.  no more pain or discomfort should be used than is required to get their cooperation.  If simply telling them to stop is enough that is all that should be done.  If a spanking is required don’t hesitate to do it, but do not take out your anger on the child.  Child abuse is the result of people not having been properly taught to control themselves and do not address problems until they lose control.  Parents who don’t discipline their children properly are far more likely to abuse them that those who address the problem immediately. 

The more consistent discipline is, the less it will be required because the kids know what the rules are, and what the consequences will be.  When the parents are inconsistent, discipline depends on their mood and the kids don’t know what to expect, becoming frustrated and angry.  When there is no discipline, they don’t learn that their actions have consequences, and will stop at nothing, becoming very angry when something tries to stop them.  Modern American society shows the results.  Colossians 3:21 commands, “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.”  Inconsistency or hypocrisy discourages people from doing what is right.

Training Children

Recent events have highlighted some serious problems in American society.  A protest is when people who feel strongly about a particular issue work together to get the policies changed.  It is focused on accomplishing a particular goal, and is what the constitution referred to when it said the right of the people to assemble shall not be abridged.  A riot, on the other hand, has no specific goal other than expressing people’s anger.  The protest is like a child asking his mother to buy him a toy, while the riot is like the child throwing a temper tantrum to try to get his way.  The protest respects the rights of others, while the riot ignores everything but their own anger.  A temper tantrum by a 2 year old probably will not do much harm other than upsetting everyone around, and people just blow it off with the thought that his parents need to teach him how to behave properly. 

A riot by teenagers or adults does serious harm, frequently resulting in destruction of businesses, homes or cars, physical injuries and even deaths. They are a clear indicator that the parents did not teach them to behave properly when they were children so they are still throwing tantrums.  They are too immature to address their problems in effectively.  That so many recent protests have turned into riots clearly demonstrates a serious lack of maturity among American adults.  In many cases they are incapable of even explaining why they want what they are demanding coherently. They are just like the little child who thought the toy looked pretty with no concern for what it did or whether he would like playing with it later.  Because the parents did not deal with the children’s temper tantrums when they were small, and so they continued to throw them.  Years of practice at throwing the tantrums makes them much harder to deal with.  Vandalism, school shootings, gang violence, and murders are other common ways of throwing tantrums.

We have been dealing with these kinds of things since the protest/riots of the 1960’s, and is clear that the popular and politically mandated solutions have not stopped the problem, any more effectively than they have solved poverty or the drug problems.  Clearly, we need to take a different approach. 

Experience has taught that when the obvious solutions don’t fix it, it is useful to go back in time to see what precipitated or triggered the problem.  Frequently, it shows some things that have changed which allowed the problem to occur.  When we look back in history to see when the problem began to appear we find that the acceptance of psychology as a science resulted in new philosophies as to how children should be raised.  Dr. Spock and other writers popularized those philosophies and people became concerned that they would damage the child’s ego by teaching them to respect others and not to throw tantrums.  The first generation of children raised with that philosophy began coming of age in the early 1960’s, leading to many legitimate protests turning into riots.  They have taught their children and grandchildren the same philosophies, and today we are seeing the results, with many so-called “protests” having no other goal than to cause disruptions. 

To fix the problems, it will be necessary to go back and correct the things that have caused it, and this means changing our philosophy of child rearing   Fortunately the original philosophy had been around for hundreds of years and had proven effective so we do not have to develop something completely from scratch, and Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  If we properly train our children, they will not fall for the newer philosophies, even though they are surrounded by people who hold them. 

It is important to understand that the verse does not say teach the child what he should do.  Instead, it says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”   Training for a sport implies not only teaching the basic principles of right and wrong, but of actually practicing them until they become the natural response.  The necessary muscles repeat the actions until they automatically do things the right way, and in the process become strong enough to do the job.  When they have trained properly, a person will still remember how to perform the action years after they have last played.    

When we work with our children so consistently and steadily, not only teaching them what is right, but demonstrating it in our daily lives consistently and insisting on their correcting their mistakes and doing it right in their lives, we can so thoroughly ingrain the right thing into their minds that they naturally do those things.  Unfortunately, most parent and teachers are not willing to put in the practice and consistency effective training requires.  They give verbal instructions and hope the kids do not notice how often they do not follow the principles they have shared.  Since kids learn more from what they see demonstrated than what they hear, they follow the example rather than the lesson, and unless they actively practice it, they soon forget even what they have seen demonstrated.  As a result, even most Christian kids don’t really know how to do what is right, and a large percentage of them turn away. 

If we do not want our children to just go along with the world’s philosophies, we Christians ae going to have to make a commitment to train our children properly.  The first step will be to learn what is right ourselves, and then to begin to practice it consistently.  If we are not willing to make the commitment ourselves, we should not be surprised if our children adopt the world’s standards.    After all, they are only doing what we taught them.