Are Parents Responsible When Children Go Wrong?

[Pastor Matt]

Updated OctOBer 27, 2009 (first published March 3, 2000) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

I received the following e-mail in regard to the article we published entitled “Rearing Spiritual Children” by Pastor Terry Coomer of Indiana (the article is available at the Way of Life web site under the Family section of the End Times Apostasy Database) --
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Bro. Cloud, I appreciate your sermon on “Rearing Spiritual Children.” What a truly awesome responsibility this is. But being a pastor, I have some questions. What about those godly homes in which there are two or more children, and one goes the way of the world? I believe that it is very possible, and often does happen, that parents have done an excellent jOB of training all their children, both my word and by godly example, only to have one choose not to live for the Lord. We are certainly not training rOBots. They have a free will of their own. I believe that Proverbs 22:6 simply means that after a father has done all the right things, and has lived the godly life before his children, and truly shown that he loves them, no matter how far they run they cannot outrun the training that was instilled in them. And further, if there is any hope of their returning to the Lord, it is because the Holy Spirit can use that training that was instilled in them to convict them.

Posted at http://www.wayoflife.org/files/f1c39635dc85130cf36c9a1f5a7a0ee3-445.html#unique-entry-id-445

[Jerry]

I read this reply by Cloud the other day - he had some really good points worth considering.

[John81]

I can certainly relate to this with regards to our two sons. The oldest had a strong rebellious aspect and a bent towards doing wrong from the beginning while our youngest has been virtually the opposite.

Our oldest learned to read before school age and he was reading from the Bible from that time onward. He understood it but he refused to submit to it.

This is oldest son that brought so much grief and evil into our lives last year; most are at least somewhat familiar with the story so I won't repeat it now.

He has specifically rejected Christ three times in my precense. He has stated he wants to follow Christ but he doesn't want to OBey him; he doesn't want to give up the "pleasures of the world"; he doesn't want to submit his will to the Lords.

I know we are not alone as I've seen and read of similar in other Christian families. Why does one child choose right and the other choose evil? Why did Cain choose to go his own way and Abel choose to honour the Lord?

[HappyChristian]

Okay, so here's a poser: whose fault was it that Adam and Eve chose to disOBey God? After all, they were created perfect, sinless. And they still chose to disOBey.

Of course, we know it was Adam's fault, and Eve's fault. Their choices. Now, I know someone will say that they weren't raised in a home - they were created as adults. But again, they were created perfect.

Any comments or thoughts?

[John81]

Okay, so here's a poser: whose fault was it that Adam and Eve chose to disOBey God? After all, they were created perfect, sinless. And they still chose to disOBey.

Of course, we know it was Adam's fault, and Eve's fault. Their choices. Now, I know someone will say that they weren't raised in a home - they were created as adults. But again, they were created perfect.

Any comments or thoughts?

Free choice?

No matter who raises you or what is put into you it's still your choice to accept or reject God.

For better or worse, I know lots of folks who are very much different from how they were raised.

[Psalms18_28]

Okay, so here's a poser: whose fault was it that Adam and Eve chose to disOBey God? After all, they were created perfect, sinless. And they still chose to disOBey.

Of course, we know it was Adam's fault, and Eve's fault. Their choices. Now, I know someone will say that they weren't raised in a home - they were created as adults. But again, they were created perfect.

Any comments or thoughts?

NO ONE can be sinless in their free will/choice. Even if they are made perfectly by God. Why? because we are not God and never will be.Only The Lord God is sinless which is why we need him.

Believe me, if I was Eve, I think I would disOBey in my own free will too. But as long as I submit to the Lord and let God be my pilot (if that's the right term for it?), I would be able to OBey him.

[John81]

Adam and Eve can be sinless in their own free will, can they?

NO ONE can be sinless in their free will/choice. Even if they are made perfectly by God. Why? because we are not God and never will be.Only The Lord God is sinless which is why we need him.

From Scripture Adam and Eve are shown as sinless until Eve was deceived into eating the forbidden fruit and Adam agreed to eat too. From that point (original sin) we see both committing a series of sins.

How long did they walk in the garden sinless? We don't know, but we do know they walked sinless until they used their free will to disOBey God and eat the one and only forbidden fruit.