Sins Of Our Fathers (Part 2)

Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

We often use this scripture as a basis of hope for the repentance and salvation of a wayward child when we know that we did our best in teaching them the Word of God and we did all we knew to do to bring them to Jesus.

But what we often fail to realize is that this scripture carries a double meaning. If we train up our child to walk in the paths of sin, to hate the church, to ridicule those who live for the Lord, to stay away from the House of God, to ignore the Word of God, and to only focus on the good times and worldly pleasure and riches of this world, we will also reap what we have sown here too. Those children will grow up to believe that the way we have taught them is the right way and they, too, will not depart from it.

Just walk into any school in our community right now and you will see how much the training of the children has affected their children. If you really want to see the difference, just go to a middle school. I would like to take you on a tour with me just once. You would be appalled at the attitude of today’s youth. Oh, we may have some attitudes around the church to deal with, but they are nothing compared to the attitudes of those who have no knowledge of God in their lives.

With each passing generation, the sins of the fathers are visited upon their children. But the sins of each passing generation only become stronger, more evil and more destructive. Then the sins of the fathers are passed on again, and again and again.

It is no surprise that this world is growing more evil everyday. Mankind is bringing about his own judgment for sin. The only thing that can stop this cycle of sin from generation to generation is for someone to find the Lord and their Savior and be born again.

That’s the key to turning your family around. But the answer is not just in accepting Christ for yourself, you have to train the next generation to follow the Lord or nothing will change for them. That’s where your faithfulness to God, your commitment to his Word, his work and his church are so very important.

What’s the best way to train a child – by your correct example! They will see what you do more than they will hear what you say!

Who is training your children today? (This if for parents, grand-parents and even great-grand-parents for we carry this responsibility to the grave and even beyond by our legacy)

Are you training them or are you allowing the world to train them by default?
Are you training them by your example or are you allowing their friends in the world to do the work for you?
Are you really teaching them to go in the right way, or are you just hoping that somehow it will all turn out right?
Will the sin of their father and mother be visited upon them?
Will they one day face the curse of God for what you have taught them, or for what you are teaching them now?
Will they accept the ways of the world, and the way of sin and rebellion against God’s commandments as the normal and right way to live?
Or, will they really know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and God as their refuge?

The answer lies in what we are teaching them today!