God never intended his people to shy away from discussing uncomfortable subjects with their children. Unfortunately, many in the ranks of us Christians choose to avoid topics with our kids that we think will make them grow up too fast. So we cut off certain conversations when children ask us some difficult questions that could lead to discussing subjects we believe should only be discussed by adults. Having such a mindset, in my opinion, is a disservice to children and hampers them from having the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to make well-informed and God-influenced decisions.
Sometimes Christian parents don’t stop to think that if they don’t discuss uncomfortable topics with their kids from a biblical worldview, their kids will have those discussions with unsaved peers or unsaved authority figures. Without that biblical foundation on hard topics, kids whose parents mistakenly raised them under the “ignorance is bliss” mentality will find their kids easily swayed into embracing the ungodly philosophies and doctrines espoused by unsaved peers and unsaved authority figures they encounter. That’s one reason (among several) why young people raised in Christian homes decide to forsake all things Christian when they reach high school and/or college.
In Deuteronomy, God gave instructions to parents on what they should talk about and teach their kids. He said the following:
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. Deuteronomy 6
These are principles that carry over into the New Testament. The Lord made it clear that he wanted the Israelites to follow his commandments so the Israelites would be blessed in their endeavors because to do otherwise would bring punishment since he is a just God (Deuteronomy 6:24-25). To stress the importance of diligently teaching kids at every opportunity about the Lord’s testimonies and judgments, God repeated Deut. 6:6-9 almost word-for-word in Deut. 11:18-20.
These testimonies, judgments, and commandments not only covered simple things like the Passover, sacrifices, and prayers, the Lord also had Moses cover “adult” situations that included the following:
- Manslaughter (Deut. 19)
- Murder (Deut. 19)
- Cross-dressing (Deut. 22:5)
- Adultery (Deut. 22:22-24)
- Rape (Deut. 22:25-27)
- Both female & male prostitution/homosexuality (Deut. 23:17)
- Witchcraft (Deut. 18:10-12)
- Bestiality (Deut. 27:21)
God commanded his people to teach their children about these subjects from a godly perspective since they lived near ungodly people who practiced these things and could exert influence on Israel. Shouldn’t Christians do the same seeing what type of world we live in also?
When Israel became lax in teaching their kids diligently about these things and saw God’s testimonies as burdensome (Isaiah 28:12-14), it resulted in a lack of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding throughout the nation, and led to Israel’s downfall. This same scenario is now playing out all over the Western Hemisphere because we are repeating the same mistakes Israel made after being blessed with God’s word. But renewed diligence for godly things can reverse the curse.
…the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. Hosea 4:1
Harry A. Gaylord
sunandshield.wordpress.com 
Matthew
Jesus tells a man who had just lost his father: “Let the dead bury the dead.” 8:21
Families will be torn apart because of Jesus “Brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.” 10:21
Jesus says that he has come to destroy families by making family members hate each other. He has “come not to send peace, but a sword.” 10:34-36
Jesus warns us not to love our parents or children too much. We have to make sure that we always love him (who we don’t even know existed) more than our family. 10:37
When Jesus’ mother and brothers want to see him, Jesus asks, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” So much for Jesus’ family values. 12:47-49
Jesus is criticized by the Pharisees for not washing his hands before eating. He defends himself by attacking them for not killing disobedient children according to the commandment: “He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” (See Ex.21:15, Lev.20:9, Dt.21:18-21) So, does Jesus think that children who curse their parents should be killed? It sure sounds like it. 15:4-7
In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the king threatens to enslave a man and his entire family to pay for a debt. This practice, which was common at the time, seems not to have bothered Jesus very much. 18:25
“It is not good to marry.”
After Jesus denounces divorce, his disciples say that if divorce isn’t allowed, then “it is good not to marry.” Jesus agrees by saying that it is better to make yourself a eunuch “for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.” 19:10
Abandon your wife and children for Jesus and he’ll give you a big reward. 19:29
Jesus tells us to “call no man your father upon the earth.” Not even dear old dad? How can we “honor our father” if we refuse to call him our father? 23:9
“Woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days.” Why? Does God especially hate pregnant and nursing women? 24:19
Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins who went to meet their bridegroom. 25:1
Mark
Jesus shows disrespect for his mother and family by asking, “Who is my mother, or my brethren?” when he is told that his family wants to speak with him. 3:31-34
Jesus criticizes the Jews for not killing their disobedient children as required by Old Testament law. 7:9-10
Jesus will reward men who abandon their wives and families. 10:29-30
In the last days God will make things especially rough on pregnant women. 13:17
Luke
When Jesus’ parents begin the long trip back to Nazareth, the twelve year old Jesus stays behind, without even asking for their permission. Mary and Joseph search for him for three days and when they finally find him, Jesus doesn’t apologize. Rather, he blames them for not knowing that he was doing his real father’s business. 2:43-49
Peter and his partners (James and John) abandon their wives and children to follow Jesus. 5:11
Jesus, when told that his mother and brothers want to see him, ignores and insults them by saying that his mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it. 8:20-21
Jesus won’t even let his followers bury their dead parents or say farewell to their families before abandoning them. 9:59-62
Jesus prophesies that families will be divided because of him and his teachings. Sadly, this is one prophecy that has been fulfilled. 12:52-53
Jesus says that his disciples must hate their families (mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, children) and themselves. 14:26
If you want to be a disciple of Jesus, you must abandon everything, including your family. 14:33
Abandon your wife and family for Jesus and he’ll give you a big reward. 18:29-30
Jesus says that everyone in heaven is single. Does that mean that married people can’t go there, that they must get a divorce once they arrive, or what? 20:35
“Ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks.”
Families and friendships will be torn apart because of Jesus. 21:16
John
As an example to parents everywhere and to save the world (from himself), God had his own son tortured and killed. 3:16
Jesus tells his family that he wasn’t going to the feast, but later goes “in secret.” 7:8-10
Acts
Peter and God scare Ananias and his wife to death for not forking over all of the money that they made when selling their land. 5:1-10
If you “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,” then you and your whole family will be saved; otherwise, God will send you all to hell. 16:30-31
…
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IsitTrue,
Sorry I had to shorten your comment but it was too lengthy. If you want, you can send the other half of it later by copying and pasting from wherever you got this 1st half of your comment from. Just like journalists and campaign managers can take snippets of quotes from people they oppose to make them look evil, your comment just shows those who hate the Bible do the same thing.
Matthew
8:21–The Bible doesn’t say if the man’s father just died. That’s an assumption. Nevertheless, Jesus as Lord and Savior (whose ministry time on Earth was short) was telling this guy that his ministry was way more important because lost souls were at stake. The time for this guy to act was “now” not “later.”
10:21–Jesus pointed out that people would hate his pro-God, anti-sin, loving gospel of salvation so much that they would hurt their own family members who embraced it. It’s a testimony to why pagans and atheists are always attacking Christians.
10:34-36–Same reason as 10:21. The peace he was talking about is the same false peace pagans and atheists are pushing today, which is the push to have the people of God compromise into accepting sin and false doctrine as OK. For example, the “why-can’t-Christians-just-accept-gay-marriage?” argument. All fornication is sin, including homosexuality, and Jesus did not come to pacify them by telling them their sin is OK.
10:37–Your spin on it is off-base. Everyone knows God exists. Atheists just try to ignore it. Jesus, who is God, is more important than our family because humans are by nature evil whereas God by nature is all good, truthful, and righteous. Therefore, humans pressure even their family into doing things contrary to God’s will when God’s will is always about doing what’s good and right. That’s why Christians should be ready to side with God over their family. If a guy in a Hindu family is told by God to accept Jesus as Lord, but his family says they will disown him if he does, the salvation of his lost soul is more important so he should obey God, not his family because listening to his family will result in his going to hell.
12:47-49 Same reasons as in chapter 10 above. What God wants should trump what family demands if they are at odds because ultimately what God wants will strengthen family if a family aligns with God. That’s why Jesus hated adultery and hated divorce.
15:4-7–Jewish handwashing was a man-made tradition that took much longer than ours today. Jesus pointed out human life was more important than their tradition. When a child curses their parents, they are wishing for their parents’ untimely deaths and their traditions encouraged this. Funny how you contradict your take on Jesus by 1st saying he hates family values, then you criticize him for teaching people to honor their parents. In those days, elderly parents were taken care of by their children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, not put away in nursing homes or pushed into doctor-assisted suicides to get them out of the way. Children who disrespect parents tend to disrespect human life and valid authorities. Just look at the people who commit crimes. Or those who love abortion and euthanasia.
18:25–Israel had strict and merciful laws on servanthood. It wasn’t the Transatlantic/African slavery you’re attempting to make it out to be.
19:10–You’re twisting his words. Jesus said, “All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given…He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.” In other words, being single was a gift that some could accomplish, but it didn’t apply to everyone in God’s kingdom.
19:29–He didn’t call them to abandon their families. Jesus often stayed at Peter’s house & even healed Peter’s mother-in-law, who served them a meal after she was healed. Paul even said in 1 Cor. 9 that Peter & other apostles & missionaries did missionary work accompanied by their wives.
23:9–Taken out of context. The word father in this context refers to a religious title of honor that placed men on pedestals, like the Catholic Church referring to their priests as Father so-and-so.
24:19–You assume things out of context. Jesus was foretelling how evil man would become in the last days because of his sin. It’s man’s fault, not God’s.
25:1–Yeah…and?
Mark
3:31-34–Same as Matt. 12:47-49 above.
7:9-10–Same as 15:4-7 above.
10:29-30–Same as 19:29 above.
13:17–Same as 24:19 above.
Luke
2:43-49–Mary and Joseph had visions, dreams, warnings, and commands directly from God and angels about who he was, what he would do, and what they could do to help him. So Jesus did nothing wrong and Mary and Joseph should have known what was up. Jesus wasn’t at fault.
5:11–See 19:29 above. They didn’t abandon their families. James & John even brought their mother to Jesus. Maybe you should actually try reading scripture for yourself instead of just copying and pasting others’ statements in comments and in your own mind without questioning. Are you always so gullible?
8:20-21–Redundant. Already covered above.
9:59-62–Already covered above.
12:52-53–Already covered in 10:34-36. If I had realized you were just repeating the same incidences and wrong conclusions you already did before, I would’ve edited all of this out.
14:26–The context of this scripture is a comparison of how one should act towards God in comparison to how one should act towards family. Isn’t it detractors such as yourself who love to point out that Jesus was all about loving people, the Golden Rule, etc. when you get upset about Christians pointing out people’s sins? God should be loved so much by a person in their obedience to him that it looks like they hate their family when they actually don’t hate their family.
14:33–Already covered above.
18:29-30–Already covered above.
20:35–You err, not knowing the scripture or the power of God. Read the Bible for yourself and stop being a parrot, no offense to parrots. Jesus said that once people are in heaven in the resurrection, there won’t be any marriages. After this life, there is no marriage. Once a person dies, they and their spouse are no longer in a marriage because death ends their marriage contract. Wow! Not only do you not understand heavenly things, you seem to have no clue about earthly things either.
21:16–Already covered above.
John
3:16–God had to save all people from themselves. You are your own worst enemy because of your sin nature which hates God and desires the things that violate God’s laws. When you break God’s laws you deserve to be punished. Just like you deserve to be punished when you break the just laws of humans. But God was loving enough to give us a sinless sacrifice to die on our behalf to avoid the ultimate punishment of hell. It’s like winning a record-breaking lottery and you didn’t even have to buy the ticket. So why complain? Just to be anti-God & negative, I suppose. On the one hand you complain about God not loving, then when he does show enormous love, you complain. How foolish.
7:8-10–Again, read the Bible for yourself. He told his brothers that the specific time and manner THEY wanted him to show up at the feast was not HIS scheduled time or manner to show up at the feast. He went later according to the time and manner that was in line with how he had planned. They expected him to say “How high?” when they said “Jump!” but that wasn’t his way.
Acts
5:1-10–You didn’t read it for yourself. Peter told them that while the money was in their possession, they had the power to do with it what they wished. But they came to the church and lied to make it seem as if they were giving all of the money, when all they had to say was “We decided to keep part of it.” Ananias & Sapphira were trying to exalt themselves, hoping to get “attaboys” & “attagirls” from people in the church. They lied, then died. Their fault.
16:30-31–There was a condition in this context. A whole family can only be saved if each individual family member believes. Yes, if a family doesn’t believe, they go to hell. God’s universe, God’s rules. Don’t like it? Then you know right up front where you’re headed so you have no one to blame but yourself in the end. And your “I’m the victim” mentality won’t help you.
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