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Introduction

Children of believers, whether baptized or not, are not aliens in the Kingdom of God. They are full-fledged members of the Kingdom of our God. This edition of our Newsletter details the responsibility of Christian parents or guardians towards the minors or children of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus Christ Welcomes Children

Children are sometimes isolated from their parents in Christian gatherings so that those parents could concentrate on the ongoing activities. Their isolation should not only create a conducive atmosphere for the parents to participate, but they should be taught what their ages and development allow in the church. This was the case of the disciples of the Messiah as indicated below:

“And they also brought infants to Him, that He might touch them. But when the disciples saw, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them and said, Allow the little children to come to Me, and forbid them not. For of such is the kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, Whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no way enter into it” (Luk 18:15-17, Matt 19:13-15).

The infants being spoken of here were not adults who were babies in the Christian faith as the one described by Peter (1Pet 2:2). They were literally, children, who were being brought to Jesus Christ, not to be baptized, but to be blessed by Him. The actions of the disciples displeased Jesus Christ who rebuked them and caused the children to be brought to Him for His blessings. The Kingdom of God belongs to Children so they should not be resisted from entering into it or driven out of it by the adults. Proper integration or inclusion of our children, in our services and programs, is essential for their nurturing.

Nurturing the Children

One of the major responsibilities of parents is to train up their children in ways that are approved and accepted by God. Parents are being commanded to train up their children in the way they should go so that when they grow up they will not depart from it (Pro 22:6). When God called Abraham, he was expected, as part of his responsibility, “to command his sons and his house after him, and they shall keep the way of Jehovah, to do justice and judgment, that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which He has spoken of him” (Gen 18:18).

The above paragraph is an indication that the care of our children has been entrusted into the hands of the responsible parents. Adults should not ignore this noble task and expect God to do that. It is hoped that if parents do their parts, God would take care of the rest. Buying them material things is good but the training required for our children should be holistic. This should include their social, physical, intellectual, emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being.

In socializing children into our societies, parents ought to train the children in love but not by compulsion. Apostle Paul reaffirms this in his Epistle to Titus. Here, he instructs Titus to teach the aged women to train the younger women to love their husbands and their children (Tit 2:3-4). This does not mean that the fathers are not supposed to love their children. The instruction was given to the women because they were directly responsible for taking care of the children.

Scriptures discourage believing fathers from provoking their children to wrath but to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 6:4). Paul intimates that provoking children to wrath has the likelihood of discouraging them (Col 3:21). Some of the things that provoke children might include harsh disciplinary actions meted out to them. The screaming, insults and beatings would not make them better but would only discourage them. These practices would not reveal God´s love for humanity to the children. If there is the need to discipline children, it should be done out of love, for God chastises those he loves with the intent that they shall be corrected and edified (Heb 12:5-11).

As already highlighted in Tit 2:3-4 above, children must be loved at every cost. They may be insubordinate, disrespectful, sexually immoral, violent and all other negative descriptions, Christian parents should not disown them. All parents need to take cognizance that hatred, bitterness, disowning and others do not produce the righteousness of God in children, but showing affection, love and godly nurturing do. It is written that when we were still sinners God demonstrated His love towards us (Rom 5:8). This attitude of God should be exhibited by all Christian parents. Sometimes, parents are bothered about their children behavior because of what the society would say about them. As for believing parents, rejecting and ostracizing your homosexual children from the family would not bring them back. Parents constantly praying for their children, teaching them the Gospel of Christ, training them in the ways of God and engaging them in dialogue would be a better remedy for them. Parents ought to live with their children with understanding and love.

Parents ought not to be depressed over the misconduct of their children. If they do, they may die prematurely and leave those children behind. This would make their lives worse, and if they should repent in the future, their parents would not be there to encourage them and give them the needed support. Parents are being encouraged to seek pastoral and professional family therapy if they discover that the situation is outside of their abilities. This would help salvage the situation before it becomes too late.

Conclusion

Children are part of the household of God and they need to be treated with respect and dignity. They may be disobedient to their parents but the parents must continue to show them love and affection coupled with godly discipline. threatening and fighting or humiliating them would not help but the godly counsel and early intervention is the key.

Prayer: Thank you Lord God for the wonderful children you have given to your children. We pray for your wisdom and guidance as we guide and lead them to adulthood. Grant unto them the spirit of obedience and zeal for your house. In Jesus´ name. AMEN!

Introduction

Citizens of any country in the world have some responsibilities to comply with. These responsibilities are toward States and individuals. This also applies to citizens of Heaven, the Holy City of God. Believers have been adopted into Christ by God to fulfill some responsibilities towards God and each other. This Newsletter discusses the most relevant responsibility or obligation that Christians are to observe.

Responsibility to Love

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1Joh 4:16).

Christians should take cognizance of the fact that the foundation of their faith is “love”. Love is that which they should pursue at all cost. Paul clearly presents the Characteristics of love in his first book to the Corinthians, chapter 13. where he emphasizes that doing good works without love is irrelevant. This makes Paul challenge believers to:

“Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves another has fulfilled the Law. For: “Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; do not lust;” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love works no ill to its neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law” (Rom 13:8-10).

The above passage is consistent with the words of the Messiah, Jesus Christ when He says that He gives His disciples a new commandment, which is, they should love one another as He has loved them (Joh 13:34). John reiterates the Words of Jesus Christ in his letter where he indicates he does not write to them any new commandment but that which they know already from the beginning. And this is that Christians should love one another (1Joh 2:7-8). It could be said that “love” is an embodiment of the whole law in the Old Testament. This is substantiated by the answer of Jesus Christ to the Jewish Lawyer who tempted Him. He asked of the greatest commandment in the Mosaic law (Mat 22:35-36). In answering him, Jesus Christ said:

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like, unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Mat 22:37-40).

As the scriptures read, a Christian ought to love his neighbor as s/he loves himself or herself. The baseline is that self-love is a requirement in loving another person. If a person hates himself or herself only bitterness and hatred shall flow out of him/him. To love one´s neighbor genuinely self-love must be guaranteed. One who hates himself or herself may show works of love while s/he is devoid of inner love.

Loving One´s Enemies

The call is not to love only people who love or would love us back but to show unfeigned love to all who even express open hatred towards us. This is expressively taught in the holy scriptures: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Mat 5:44, Luk 6:27 KJV). He adds that if a person loves his/her enemies, it indicates that s/he is truly a citizen of Heaven because God loves both the just and the unjust (Mat 5:45). Doing good to your loved one may require little or no effort. So, if one loves only those who are good to him/her, it profits little since that is a normal exercise, and the unbelievers also do the same thing. However, showing love and affection and praying for one´s enemies tell that the person has the Spirit of the True God in him/her, and that makes him/her complete in the sight of God (Mat 5:46-48).

The above paragraph is echoed in the scripture which admonishes Christians not to pay evil for evil but to render good and blessing for evil (1Pet 3:9). In his epistle, John again writes that, if a believer hates his neighbor, s/he is still in darkness and walks in darkness and for that matter, has been blinded by the darkness so s/he does not know s/he is heading to (1Joh 2:9, 11). The exhortation here is that Christians must only demonstrate love regardless of the recipient. Love is the essence of God and this must radiate through the life of a believer. It is written that while we were still sinners or the enemies of God, He sent forth His only begotten Son to die for us (Rom 5:8). For us to be children of the Kingdom, we need to love one another. It appears to be difficult or impossible but if the Holy Spirit is allowed into the hearts, His grace would be available to overcome the challenge.

Conclusion

It could be concluded that as Christians, their greatest responsibility is love for God, themselves and their neighbors. To retain their citizenship as believers, they must endeavor to abide by the laws of the Kingdom or the City of God, which in this case, is love. For anyone who loves God, himself and his neighbor, has fulfilled the law.

Prayer: Our precious and Everlasting Father, one thing we ask of you today, that heal us of every bitterness in our hearts and let your love be shed abroad in our hearts, in Jesus´s name. AMEN!