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Questioning the Religion You Were Raised In

 12/20      Justin (see here)

With a world of ideas available to us at our fingertips, more and more young people are questioning the religion they were raised in. “If I was raised in a Muslim family, I’d probably be a Muslim” they argue, and I don’t disagree. Obviously, the religion and culture parents choose to expose their children to have a direct impact on the choices their children make, especially if their children can’t see beyond their limited choices. And I think the Bible agrees also. Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” Many Christian parents see this passage as a promise that their efforts to raise their children as Christians will not be in vain. But I think that although the beliefs and values parents instill in their children do have an impact, we shouldn’t see this passage as a God-given guarantee that their children will automatically be Christians also. After all, in the context of other passages concerning salvation, we know that everyone must come to a faith relationship with the Lord personally, such as we read in John 1: “…to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” Maybe to “train up a child” has more to do with biblical knowledge, lifestyle habits, moral values and personal discipline – all of which can be a blessing that will impact that ultimate faith relationship with Christ. And certainly the “effectual fervent prayers of a righteous (parent) availeth much” as parents pray for the salvation of their children. All this to say that I believe God often blesses the efforts of Christian parents with children who eventually do become Christians themselves, and just because children of parents in other religions follow their parent’s beliefs also need not negate this wonderful fact. One of those children, raised in a Christian home and church, was a man named Justin whom I talked with at a local park. Justin isn’t a Christian himself, at least not yet, but I could tell his Christian upbringing has had a deep impact and blessing on his life. He was one of those troubled by the seeming direct connection between the religion we are raised in and that which we adopt as our own. Maybe we need to look at Proverbs 22:6 as a warning as well as a promise: Raise up a child in any one of a number of other religions, or godless, confused, materialistic, or the like, and he too will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 is not a set promise but just more of the common sense we find throughout the Book of Proverbs. Parents do have a huge impact on the religious choices of their children. It’s just a fact of life, and in no way negates the wonderful truth of the Gospel. see video HERE


 

 


 

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