Essential Traning for Young Men and Women!

A hero of mine shared about essential training for his son. He writes, "my twelve-year-old son's life is very different from how mine was at his age. He's being raised in a Christian home. He has been taught God's Word. And unlike his father, he's surrounded by people in a local church who respect godliness and humility, not worldliness and pride."

In our situation, I can identify with most of what this man shares, however this is what challenges me and yet excites me. It excites me because I see the need to do this. It excites me because I love a challenge. But it challenges me because, if I fail, it has serious ramifications. Let me explain.

He goes on to write about his son entering his teenage years and young adulthood, "the most important thing I can teach him is that, even though he's being raised in a Christian family and is leading a moral life, he's a sinner who desperately needs the substitutionary death of Christ for God's forgiveness." He goes on to explain, "for years I've been teaching him the gospel, day by day. I tell him that he's a sinner just like his dad, and that sin is his most serious problem. I don't ignore or minimize the seriousness of sin. Through his actions and attitudes he has rebelled against his Maker. And this great God is perfectly holy and must respond with fierce opposition to sin. He must punish it."

Are you surprised by this man's approach? Why? God's wrath toward sin is real! Sure God's wrath has been satisfied in Jesus. However we still must teach our sons and daughters about God's wrath toward sin.

"It is surprising," my friend writes, "that any loving person would withhold this truth from another person they love. Because only when we understand God's wrath toward sin can we realize that we need to be saved from it. Only when we hear the bad news that we're deserving of judgment can we appreciate the good news that God, through His Son, has provided salvation and full, continuing forgiveness for our sins. Only those who are aware of God's wrath are amazed at God's grace."

I want to emulate this godly and wise style of parenting for my sons and daughters. You and I can hold out this hope for their lives. That Jesus, God's perfect, righteous Son, died in their place for their sins. Jesus took all the punishment; Jesus received all the wrath as He hung on the cross, so people like Caleb, Abigail, Noah, Elisabeth, Isabelle, Keziah, Patrick & Meg could be completely forgiven. It's for you and your families too.

There are many things my wife and I hope to teach our children, but the most important thing that we can teach them, the most essential thing that we can teach and model for them is the gospel.

May we never forget this essential training for our young men and women, that God has entrusted us with...