Influence of Christian Homes

II Timothy 1:1-8; 3:14, 15; Titus 2:1-4, 11, 12

GOLDEN TEXT: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”—Joshua 24:15

THE influences which surround a child until the age of independent thought and action is reached are bound to have much to do in determining the later life of that child. Because of this, Christian parents are faced with a great responsibility; for it is their privilege to instruct their children in the ways of the Lord, and to back up that instruction by their own consistent Christian walk. The Scriptures declare that if a child is trained in the way that he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it.—Prov. 22:6

But in order for the child to be so favorably impressed with what is taught by his parents as never to want to depart from it, the instruction must be wisely given. No parents are perfect, and even in using the best judgment possible there will be times when the training given in youth will be flouted and the way of righteousness ignored. At least, it sometimes seems to be this way; but we have every confidence that in the final analysis, no sincere efforts of Christian parents to train their children properly will go unrewarded.

There are occasions when, through lack of understanding, a child is turned against religion. He may get the idea that his parents are trying to force something upon him, that his liberty will be taken away, etc. Situations like these call for tact and patience and prayer. The truth and what it means in one’s life is so beautiful that most children will learn to respect it, and will be proud to know that their parents believe it and taught it to them. It is not to be expected that all children will see the privilege of full consecration and have the desire to run for “the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” although many do.—Phil. 3:14

Timothy, whom Paul refers to as his spiritual son, was one whose early training stood him in good stead. Paul speaks of Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice, as both being godly persons, and that Timothy had known the Holy Scriptures from his youth. We are not to suppose that faith is a quality which can he inherited. The important consideration is that Timothy, while a child at home, was surrounded with a godly influence—the influence of a godly home. In his case this environment bore rich fruit in later life.

Titus was another consecrated servant in the early church whom Paul refers to as his “son.” In his letter to Titus, Paul outlines the manner in which Christian teaching should be presented. First on the list is, “Speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.” When we are teaching our children, or teaching in the church, or witnessing the truth to our neighbors, we should see to it that what we say is a representation of “sound doctrine.” The fundamental doctrines of the divine plan should be made prominent in all our teaching.

Paul writes that this should be done in order “That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober [margin, wise], to love their husbands, to love their children.”—Titus 2:1-4

“Sound doctrine” suggests the thought of definiteness; and the true Christian influence is definite, not uncertain, not “halting between two opinions.” (I Kings 18:21) “If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” is a scriptural interrogation which we do well to remember. (I Cor. 14:8) Perhaps that which we have blamed upon the failure of Christian influence in the home as it affects youth has been due very largely to a lack of this definiteness in regard to our knowledge and understanding.

Parents who believe the truth may fail to impress upon their children how different it is from the conflicting and God-dishonoring creeds of the Dark Ages. Parents who allow their children to grow up and go out into the world with the idea that their parents’ religion is little different from that held by all churches, and that it doesn’t make much difference which church one attends, have failed in the discharge of their God-given privileges. The truth is different, because it is the truth. It is worth fighting for and dying for—not, of course, with carnal weapons. (II Cor. 10:4) This should be our attitude, and it is this thought which all parents who truly love the truth should seek to inculcate in the minds of their children.

Our Golden Text expresses a similar thought. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” is the way Joshua put it. There is nothing indefinite in this attitude. Worldly wisdom takes pleasure in expressing ideas in such a manner that it is possible to understand them in more than one way. “Diplomatic” language is often couched in such fashion. But it is a tragedy when a Christian resorts to such tactics in handling the Word of God. Let us be definite in dealing with our brethren, with our children, and with all men, that our influence may be one emanating from the foundation of “sound doctrine.”

QUESTIONS:

Is the effect of godly teaching and influence ever lost upon children?

Is sound doctrine important in connection with Christian influence in the home?

What relationship does the Golden Text have to the remainder of this lesson?

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