Lessons of Faith

In every person at birth is placed the instinct of faith that serves as the most powerful convincing means in knowing world order and helps the child absorb skills, culture and traditions of their environment without critical analysis.

There is such a proverb that apples don't fall far from the apple tree. And we are not surprised if we see families where children resemble their parents and carry from the family those family spiritual values that were instilled in them from birth.

They say if you want to know what your wife will be like, then observe her mother's behavior. And there is sense in this definition. Parents pass to children who they themselves are, and sometimes instill in children what they would like to become but couldn't for some reasons. For example, I know one family where parents were not musicians, but took care that their three daughters received musical education before marriage and could pass this skill to their children. And they succeeded.

But teaching new sciences or passing the most beautiful knowledge and experience is not the main task in raising children. The most important skill that parents can instill in their children is faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. It is precisely this faith that gives a person right to Eternal Life and opens the growing person's heart to direct path to all Heavenly blessings.

If we take and try to depict this transmission of one's faith to subsequent generations as visual example, then this is like relay race where it's important for the next participant not only to run first, but also to take the relay baton from previous team member. No matter how fast the athlete runs, if there's no baton in their hands, then their result is not counted, and the team is considered to have lost. If the runner has nothing to pass to the next relay participant, then all their running will be in vain.

I want to clarify that in God's plan every race participant who carried the relay baton is a winner, no matter how fast they ran, and all teams participating in this competition are declared winners if they held this cherished object in their hands. Many come to this race from the side and receive relay baton from their believing brethren to pass it further to their children and those the Lord sends them. And how important it is to pass to the child precisely what you firmly hold in your own hands and what you yourself live by.

In transmitting faith to their children, all Higher Heavenly Forces are involved, who are more interested than us in salvation of every person, but at the same time reckon with human choice, with their spiritual values and hereditary succession.

It is written that a disciple is not above the teacher (Matt. 10:24). It's important for parents to lay foundation of faith in child's heart and transfer this little person into God's hands, where the Lord Himself will continue to form your child's life and lead them through various trials. The Bible gives us examples of such succession. This is Joseph from Egypt, prophet Samuel, Daniel and his three friends in Babylon.

It's very important to teach children that God is not a kind wizard fulfilling all desires, but very Wise Heavenly Father who knows all children's needs. That He is faithful to what He promised and gives us precisely what we need most.

Children's faith takes its beginning in parents' life example, and after this it is established in heart through constant instructions in truth and through father and mother voicing God's promises that are abundantly described in the Bible.

God's Word teaches that words of God's law should be taught in homes of God's people tirelessly, everywhere and on constant basis. Deut. 6:4-9. Hearing repeated biblical instructions, children quickly memorize them, analyze what they heard and at some point begin to understand that if the Lord promised this, then He can fulfill this at their request. They try and receive amazing answers.

Instruction in faith also includes explaining to children that there are conditional promises, for receiving which it's necessary to fulfill what God expects from us, and there are unconditional ones that will be fulfilled in God's appointed time, despite quality of our faith. These include beginning and end of judgment, outpouring of seven plagues, Second Coming of Christ, Millennial Kingdom, final destruction of sin and all sinners.

Children should also be taught that for prayers about healing other people, about their conversion from darkness to light or about resurrection from dead, we don't know how the Lord will answer, because we don't see whether this healing will be to God's glory, or it may become great curse for the person.

Any children's prayer practice should be encouraged by parents, and if any inaccuracies are noticed, then it's necessary to very gently correct the child and explain how to pray correctly next time.

One should also tell that singing spiritual songs or verses from Bible are also peculiar prayers to which Jesus also answers.

It's important that children tell you about their faith in God and that they are heard. They learn this from you, parents, and from your testimonies. Listening to children's prayers, you will be surprised how your sons and daughters memorize your expressions and then speak with God in your language.

If my little daughter sits at our feet and plays with blocks when my wife and I share blessings of answered prayers, then I know for sure that she very attentively listens to everything we talk about. And especially her attention and hearing is attracted to the moment when we switch to whisper and tell each other important truths "in secret." Children so like to be admitted to adult secrets! But what to do? Children also need to be told simple things in language understandable to them. And what they want to listen to with special interest, they remember immediately and forever.

Children need to be taught that God always fulfills what He promised because He is God, and His word is faithful and true. And any contact with this Word of God opens God's power to those who pray. We don't pray to earn God's love through these actions, but because the Lord already loves us and thirsts to pour streams of His love on us again and again in answers to our requests.

Children need to be taught not to make God accomplice to their crimes and not ask Him to close parents' or other people's eyes to their sins. God is not tempted by evil and teaches us to repent and confess our misdeeds.

It's also worth teaching that prayers can be not only in form of forgiveness and petitions, but also thanksgiving, intercessory, praise, glorifying Creator. They may sound like conversations with Heavenly Friend, but respect and deep reverence for our Savior should always be present in them.

To ask God for what He didn't promise means to tempt Him and show presumption. Children's faith should be formed on knowledge of expressed and written God's will. They should hope that the Lord will fulfill everything that was promised to them. Teaching our children faith, we ourselves begin to learn this and better understand these lessons.

1. Please read Isa. 46:11; 55:8-11; Gen. 41:32; 1 Cor. 9:24-27; Matt. 21:21-22; Rom. 1:17; 3:28; 11:16; Gal. 2:20; 3:24-27; Heb. 6:11-12 in light of this chapter.

2. What other verses from the Bible came to your mind?

3. What did you understand from this chapter?

4. What is the difference between children's faith and faith in God?

5. What is faith that saves?

6. Can father and mother instill in children what they themselves don't have?

7. Is believing in God and believing that He will fulfill His promises in your life the same thing?

8. Why is it so important for parents to teach their children trust in God's Word?

9. Do parents learn together with their children when teaching them faith?

10. Can one justify their ignorance in spiritual instruction of children by saying they have no faith in power of these instructions?

11. Should parents' life correspond to what they teach their children?

12. Can parents destroy with their own hands what they built for so long?

13. Do you think your child will learn something if you teach them this?

14. Is it so important to teach children to trust God's word? Could it be that they will somehow understand this themselves and learn somewhere themselves?