Today, Christian ministry to ones own children and successful childrearing are both considered. Correctly understood, the Christian home is also a place for praise, prayer, sacred practice, divine rest, and study. Life and the living inheritance provided by parents to their own children should include inspiration, mature leadership, and the salvation of their offspring. However, just as babies and minor children do not make willful, adult acts of contrition, joining, and repentance in order to become members of a human family, they make no voluntary adult act to receive place within a congregation of developing Christian believers. More than the child’s connection and dependence on their parents for identity within the church must come into view, for their initial place within the household of faith can only be achieved as a gift from divinity. Continuing the sanctified inheritance embodied as the church of Jesus Christ requires the active presence of GOD and ongoing operations of the Holy Spirit whereby inseparable aspects of the divine makeup are imparted to created beings and living creatures. Included are Christ-likeness, faith, holiness, longsuffering, lovingkindness, oneness without sameness, personhood, wisdom, and wrath against sin. One of the fighters at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Anonymous” (no profile is shared) posted the following in the Religion and Spirituality forum:
If you are Christian and Jesus is the meaning and light and joy of your life -- and you deprive your children of that, what are you?
Traditional Answer: A BAD PARENT
My kids ask ME about God and I tell them They want the answer and they want it from me -- and whoa to me by any standard if I lie to them or dismiss them
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (John 10: 7-14, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Life And Divine Purpose (05/04/2018); Childbearing Pertains to Judgment? (02/23/2018); Standing On The ABCs? (11/09/2017); Growth Is Through Edification (06/20/2017); Chocolate Bunnies! Easter Eggs! (04/18/2017); Church Attendance and Inheritance (09/11/2016); Of Such Is The Kingdom (09/01/2015); Understanding Spiritual Growth? (03/13/2015); Family and Beliefs of Children? (08/29/2014); Stories Repeated in the Bible? (08/30/2014)
“Anonymous”, many Christians correctly acknowledge a duty to provide godliness and structure for the lives of their own children; however, because they approach their service as secular parenting, and not as evangelizing and sacred ministry, many vacillate and operate using personal, subjective techniques that send signals opposing the Gospel. Spiritual confusion can arise where adult goals for child development center in acquiring and applying secular knowledge in place of sacred knowledge; controlling a child’s behavior instead of helping the child control their own behavior; imparting skills for affective interaction (i.e., displaying and expressing feeling); and having the child internalize the aspects and bonds of permanent relationship (e.g., accountability; dutifulness; faithfulness; entitlement; independence; integrity; obligation; unselfishness).
Christian parents are to make visible, and manifest the living heart and mind of Jesus Christ relying on sacred operations and tools. Therefore, ministry to their own children is not to be self-promoting, and should declare “not I, but Christ,” for there is no salvation apart from that given by the Father through the Son of the Highest. The inborn spirit that continues the inheritance from Adam must die, be buried, and become permanently changed (reborn; perfected; transformed). The little ones must receive fresh endowments of spirit substance from the makeup of GOD, and be given the same gifts from prophecy (comfort, edification, exhortation) shared with others “born again” through baptism, who must “grow up again” and mature/ripen for harvest by the Lord at his appearing (we also say, Advent, the Rapture, the Second Coming). As developing believers a Christian child increases in godliness through such elements as discovery, continuous fellowship with anointed believers, gradual growth, sacred practice (the observance of sacraments), praise, prayer, and unselfish service.
Parents must realize their sacred covenant with GOD addresses childrearing as well as childbearing. Parents are supplied to receive and minister to their children as a pastor, or shepherd who must lead the flock to nourishment, protect them during their play and their rest, and help them preserve the independence and integrity of the consciousness and self-will (willpower) provided them by GOD. Consider again the following that uses language from the Bible:
(1.) 1st Timothy 2: 13-15, King James Version (KJV): 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
(2.) Proverbs 22: 5-6, KJV: 5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. 6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
(3.) Proverbs 9: 6-10, KJV: 6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. 7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. 8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
(4.) 2nd Peter 1: 2-11, KJV: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
(5.) Romans 8: 5-9, KJV: 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
There is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (6.) 2nd Timothy 3: 14-17, KJV: 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington,
DC
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