{"id":1238,"date":"2015-06-15T01:37:04","date_gmt":"2015-06-15T06:37:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/focuspressblog.com\/?p=1238"},"modified":"2015-06-15T01:37:04","modified_gmt":"2015-06-15T06:37:04","slug":"3-truths-christian-families-must-pass-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2015\/06\/15\/3-truths-christian-families-must-pass-down\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Truths Christian Families Must Pass Down"},"content":{"rendered":"

It would be an understatement to say that God plans long range. The apostle Paul wrote the following\u00a0about God: \u201cWho has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works,\u00a0but according to His own purpose <\/span> and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time\u00a0<\/span>began<\/span> \u201d (2 Timothy 1:9). Notice the word purpose <\/span> in the preceding passage. Paul is reminding us\u00a0that God does what He does on purpose: His own purpose, and that He purposed to provide salvation\u00a0to all generations \u201cbefore time began.\u201d<\/p>\n

God\u2019s purpose is an eternal purpose. Again, the apostle Paul makes this clear in his letters to\u00a0the Christians in Ephesus when he wrote, \u201cTo the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might\u00a0be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places according to\u00a0the eternal purpose <\/span> which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord\u201d (Ephesians 3:10, 11). Since\u00a0God thinks, plans, and purposes from eternity, we can conclude that it is His desire that the message\u00a0of the sacrifice of His only begotten Son for the sins of mankind be communicated from one\u00a0generation to the next.<\/p>\n

The concept of intergenerational exchange of faith is clearly seen in the Old Testament. Not only\u00a0did God promise Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation (Genesis 12:2, 7), but\u00a0He confidently stated that Abraham would have long-range <\/span> influence over the faith of his descendants:<\/p>\n

\u201cSince Abraham shall surely become a great and\u00a0mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall\u00a0be blessed in him. For I have known him, in order that\u00a0he may command his children and his household after\u00a0him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do\u00a0righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring\u00a0to Abraham what He has spoken to him\u201d (Genesis\u00a018:18, 19).<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most vivid example of intergenerational\u00a0faith is found in the commands of Moses to\u00a0the fathers of Israel:<\/p>\n

\u201cNow this is the commandment,\u00a0and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you,\u00a0that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, that you may fear\u00a0the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and\u00a0your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged\u201d (Deuteronomy\u00a06:1, 2).<\/p>\n

He continues to charge the fathers with responsibility with these powerful words:\u00a0Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today\u00a0shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them\u00a0when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise\u00a0up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.\u00a0You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).<\/p>\n

Moses sets forth three truths that must be passed down in order for families to maintain a proper\u00a0<\/strong>relationship with God.<\/strong><\/p>\n

(1) A revelation <\/span> that God is eternal and one, though we know that the\u00a0Godhead is three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), and that each person of the Godhead is essential\u00a0and in total harmony (Deuteronomy 6:4).<\/p>\n

(2) A total response <\/span> of love is required in one\u2019s heart, soul,\u00a0and mind toward the eternal God who has revealed Himself (Deuteronomy 6:5).<\/p>\n

(3) A threefold responsibility\u00a0<\/span>to allow God\u2019s truth to govern the heart, the home, and habits of those who love Him.<\/p>\n

This responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of the fathers in each generation. Fathers are to\u00a0teach their children formally (\u201cdiligently\u201d) and informally (\u201ctalk of them\u201d). In short, the home is to\u00a0be a divine school where children witness their fathers\u2019 demonstration of faith personally, privately,\u00a0and publicly (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).<\/p>\n

Notice the genealogies listed in the Bible. Why are they there? What purpose do they serve?\u00a0Are they simply historical, or could it be that God wants us to see a continuing line of faith from\u00a0one generation to another? The first genealogy listed in Scripture is Genesis 5:1-32, a record of generations\u00a0from Adam to Noah and his sons. Each of the generations listed chronicle faith, or the lack\u00a0of it, in the lives of the individuals named. In the New Testament, the genealogy of Jesus from David\u00a0to Joseph (Matthew 1:1-16) and from David to Mary (Luke 3:23-38) emphasizes the importance of\u00a0continuity of faith from one generation to another.<\/p>\n

One of the most fascinating genealogies listed in Scripture is that of Asher, son of Jacob (1 Chronicles\u00a07:30-40). It would be fair to say that Asher \u201cbuilt a family\u201d one generation at a time. Apparently,\u00a0this great man set some things in motion that lasted longer than the length of his own life.\u00a0Somehow, he was able to instill some values in\u00a0his children that resulted in his descendants becoming\u00a0(1) \u201cheads of their fathers\u2019 houses,\u201d (2)\u00a0\u201cchoice men,\u201d (3) \u201cmighty men of valor,\u201d (4) \u201cchief\u00a0leaders.\u201d \u201cAnd they were recorded by genealogies\u00a0among the army fit for battle; their number\u00a0was twenty-six thousand<\/span> .\u201d What a family!<\/p>\n

Asher\u2019s example serves as a challenge to all\u00a0of us who care about what happens to our descendants\u00a0down through the generations.While\u00a0there are no perfect families (\u201cfor all have\u00a0sinned\u2026\u201d), this great man did a lot of things right.\u00a0And his sons and grandsons adhered to the standards\u00a0set in place by their patriarch and family\u00a0leader. Your family and mine can greatly benefit\u00a0from this wonderful example.<\/p>\n

Moving forward to the New Testament, the\u00a0apostle Paul recognizes and honors the influence\u00a0of forefathers, grandmothers, mothers, sons,\u00a0and grandsons. \u201cI thank God, whom I serve with\u00a0a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without\u00a0ceasing I remember you in my prayers night\u00a0and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful\u00a0of your tears, that I may be filled with joy,when\u00a0I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in\u00a0you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois\u00a0and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is\u00a0in you also\u201d (2 Timothy 1:3-5). Paul is not denying\u00a0that Timothy has his own <\/span> faith, but he is saying\u00a0that Timothy\u2019s grandmother Lois and his mother\u00a0Eunice created a spiritual environment, set the\u00a0proper example, and taught essential truths\u00a0that caused faith to take root and grow in his\u00a0heart. Then Paul charges Timothy to \u201cpass it\u00a0along\u201d and \u201ckeep it flowing\u201d from one heart to\u00a0another: \u201cAnd the things that you have heard from\u00a0me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful\u00a0men who will be able to teach others also\u201d\u00a0(2 Timothy 2:2).<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s the bottom line? It is simply this\u2014\u00a0each generation is responsible for the perpetuation\u00a0of the Gospel message to the next\u00a0generation. \u201cFor the promise is to you and\u00a0<\/span>your children<\/span><\/strong> \u2026\u201d (Acts 2:39).<\/p>\n

By Dennis Jones<\/strong><\/p>\n

This article first appeared in\u00a0<\/em>Think\u00a0magazine. To subscribe to the magazine or for more information, click here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It would be an understatement to say that God plans long range. The apostle Paul wrote the following\u00a0about God: \u201cWho has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works,\u00a0but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time\u00a0began \u201d (2 Timothy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20,46,52,66],"tags":[58,614,51,120,204,615,352],"class_list":["post-1238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-all","category-children","category-family","category-think-excerpts","tag-children","tag-deuteronomy","tag-faithfulness","tag-family","tag-guest","tag-moses","tag-think","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n3 Truths Christian Families Must Pass Down - Focus Press<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2015\/06\/15\/3-truths-christian-families-must-pass-down\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"3 Truths Christian Families Must Pass Down - Focus Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It would be an understatement to say that God plans long range. 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