“Give me a child until he is five, and I will have him for life.” That is a quote that allegedly was said by Vladimir Lenin, though others have said similar statements. Some quotes give the age as seven, but the basic thought is that if a child is raised and indoctrinated from their earliest years in a certain belief system, they will likely hold to those beliefs throughout their life. Lenin, and others who gave similar quotes, felt that if they could carefully train young children in their beliefs, that child would grow to be a faithful follower. The Lord God gives similar instructions to believers, which we read in our Scripture passage today.
The Book of Deuteronomy tells the account of God’s people on the verge of entering into the Promised Land. They were camping on the east side of the River Jordan, and Moses spoke the Laws of God a second time to them before they crossed the river and took possession of the land God had promised their fathers so many years earlier. Before he died, Moses stressed to them how important it was for them to teach God’s Word to their children and grandchildren (vs. 2, 7).
As Christians, we would all like to see our children come to know the Lord, and be saved. However, if we just leave that to the pastor, their Sunday School teacher, or their church youth group, and not make any effort on our own, the chances are less likely. Some parents even believe that they shouldn’t force their beliefs upon their children. They want to let them make up their own mind when they’re older. With that type of thinking, by the time they are older, after having gone through school and being indoctrinated with the world’s philosophies, they are not likely to choose Jesus when they become an adult. That is why God’s Word stresses how vitally important it is for us to teach our children about Jesus when they are young.
If one were to take a survey among Christians around the world, asking them to indicate at what age they were saved, what age they gave their heart to Jesus, we would find that more people get saved at a younger age, and that the numbers decrease as one gets older. Yes, people do fortunately get saved in their 30’s, 40’s, and older, but the chances of that happening decreases as the years go by and the harder one’s heart becomes. By the time one has gotten into middle age, the world’s philosophies, along with possibly any number of false religious beliefs, have become well-entrenched in one’s mind. That is why God commands us to be teaching our children and grandchildren while they are young.
One important thing we are to teach our children is that there is only one God, not a multitude of gods and goddesses (vs. 4). The Jewish people call this verse the “shema”, a verse that devout Jews would recite twice a day. This is a clear statement of faith that there is only one God, not a multitude of them, as a number of false religions teach. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God of the whole earth, the whole universe, the only true God. This truth was important for the nation of Israel then, because they were about to enter a land filled with people who believed and worshipped many false gods. It is also important for us today, as we live in a world that is so readily accepting of all sorts of false pagan, New Age, or occult beliefs. If we don’t want our children to fall victim to these false teachings, it is important that we begin instructing them in God’s Word while they are still in diapers.
In addition to teaching our children that there is only one God, we need to teach them to love and obey the Lord with all their heart, soul, and strength (vs. 5). We are to have unreserved, wholehearted commitment to God, expressed in love, and shown through obedience to His Word in our daily life. He is to be the sole object of our worship, our allegiance, and our affection.
Conversation and thoughts about God should not be limited to just Sunday mornings, and perhaps another night mid-week. Moses instructed the people here that God’s Word is to be the subject of our talk, both inside and outside of the home, all throughout the day (vs. 6-9). We are to love God, think constantly about His Word, and teach that Word to our children. As we do, we will strive to live each day by the guidelines therein. A believer and his home are to be distinguished in their character by obedience to God and the Bible.
Rather than letting the devil get ahold of our children through false religious beliefs and ungodly philosophies, let’s bring them to Jesus at an early age. Let’s tell them the story of Jesus, writing every word on their hearts.
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