What did Jesus say in the Bible about children? Jesus is very clear about His will regarding children. Jesus said, let the children come to Me and do not forbid them. But how often do parents, caretakers, churches, congregations, etc. hinder children to come to Jesus Christ; the living Word? How do they hinder the children from coming to Jesus?
When the inhabitants of Judah wanted to bring their children to Jesus, so that He would touch, pray and bless them, by the laying on of hands, His disciples rebuked them. Jesus saw what His disciples did. He became indignant and commanded them to permit the children and to stop forbidding them to come to Him. for of such as these is the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said that whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God in the same manner as a little child, will positively not enter it. Then Jesus fervently blessed them, placing His hands upon the children (میتھیو 19:13-15, Mark 10:13:14, Luke 18:15-17)
Almost every believer knows this story, about the disciples, who didn’t allow the children to come to Jesus. The disciples had spent a lot of time with Jesus. They were together with Him, day in and day out. Therefore you might think, that they would know Jesus very well, including His thoughts and will about children. The disciples also thought that they knew Jesus, but unfortunately, they didn’t. Because otherwise, they wouldn’t have rebuked the children and forbidden them to come to Jesus. They made a decision for Jesus. However, their decision and their actions didn’t line up with Jesus His will. When Jesus saw their actions, Jesus was very displeased with His disciples. Despite the fact, that they spend so much time together, they didn’t know Jesus’ will, regarding the young children.
Most children stay ignorant about the Kingdom of God
This phenomenon also happens in our days. Many children are being kept ignorant about the spiritual world, the Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of darkness. Because many churches, congregations, parents, caretakers, etc. decide, what a child understands and what not, concerning the Truth, the Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of darkness. While Jesus; the Word is very clear and commanded, to allow the children to come to Him, and to not hinder the children.
Many people don’t speak about the spiritual world to their children. Most parents don’t spend time with their children, to speak about the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness, because they are often too busy. They don’t speak about and reveal the works of God and the works of the devil in life, and about good and evil.
Many times, parents don’t allow their children to do something, but they don’t tell them the actual reason, why something is not right. But when you do this, children will be drawn to do the thing, that you have prohibited them to do. Because a child is born in the flesh and has the nature of the flesh.
That’s why it’s so important to raise and nurture your child in the Word of God as soon as your child is born. So that your child will become familiar with the Word, and will love the Word; یسوع, and become obedient to Him and live according to His will.
It is important though, that you don’t raise your child out of the flesh, with all kinds of forced written laws and regulations, but that you raise your child out of the Spirit in love. Many children, who were raised religiously from the Bible, in the old days, have left the faith, and have developed some kind of hatred towards the faith, خدا, etc. Therefore it’s important to raise a child out of the Spirit in the Living Word instead of out of the flesh in the dead letter.
Parents don’t want to talk about the devil
It’s so weird, that most parents, congregations, and churches are not willing to speak about the devil. They don’t want to frighten anybody, and that’s why they ignore the devil and his works, and don’t speak about him and hell.
But Jesus spoke all the time about the devil and his works. Jesus revealed the devil and his works and made them known to the people. Jesus didn’t want the carnal man to stay ignorant about the devil and his works, and therefore Jesus made both the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of darkness known to them. Jesus revealed the spiritual realm and ‘translated’ the spiritual world into the natural realm, by using parables.
You can take your child into consideration,
but the devil won’t
Many times, parents don’t raise their children spiritually in the Word. They want to ‘protect’ their children and don’t want to frighten and scare them, by speaking about the devil and his works. But because of this behavior, many children stay ignorant and lack spiritual knowledge.
You may want to ‘protect’ your child, by not speaking about the devil and his works, but the devil won’t respect your will, or the well-being of your child.
Through means of television, books, games, amusement parks, and other resources of entertainment, he steals your child and draws your child into his kingdom of darkness. He doesn’t ask permission, he just takes, what he can get.
Are children not able to comprehend the spiritual world, because they are too young?
Many times, people say, that children are too young, to understand the spiritual world and the Kingdom of God. لیکن حقیقت یہ ہے کہ, that no child is too young for the Kingdom of God.
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? (Luke 2:40-49)
Jesus grew up strong up and became strong in spirit. He was filled with the wisdom of God, and the grace of God was upon Him. When Jesus was twelve years old, He went with His parents, to the temple in Jerusalem. He was twelve years old, when He sat among the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. The doctors were astonished at His understanding and answers.
Maybe you think: "Yes, but that was Jesus.” But Jesus grew up, just like any other child. The only difference was, that His spirit was alive and not dead. But Jesus was fully Human, and therefore He also could have rebelled, but He didn’t. He loved His Father, and that’s why He was obedient to Him and kept His commandments. Besides that, we’ve also received the Holy Spirit, and our spirit is raised from the dead, just like Jesus His spirit was alive. Therefore you have no excuse.
In the Bible children witnessed about Jesus Christ
But let’s have look at another part in the Bible, where the children witnessed about Jesus Christ; the Messiah, while the elders didn’t.
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? (میتھیو 21:14-16)
O Lord our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger (زبور 8:1-2).
In Matthew 21, we read about the wonderful things, that Jesus did in the temple. The children, who were in the temple, witnessed about the wonderful things and the mighty works of Jesus.
The children cried out and said: “Hosanna, the Son of David!” They recognized Jesus as the Messiah and confirmed it by their words.
But immediately the chief priests and the scribes, who also witnessed these wonderful things, were displeased at what the children said. But Jesus wasn’t displeased at all.
The chief priests and the scribes asked Jesus if He had heard, what the children were saying. Jesus answered them, that He indeed heard the children. Jesus asked them if they had never read the scripture: that out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise.
And let’s not forget Samuel, who served the Lord from a young age.
Children are not too young for the Bible; the Word and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But just like the disciples of Jesus, the parents, caretakers, caregivers, churches, and congregations are the ones, who prevent the children to come to Jesus; the living Word. They don’t feed them daily, with the spiritual words of the Bible. But they read from a children’s Bible with images, whose stories are often adjusted so that they’ll become more attractive, appealing, exciting, understandable, and less harsh. The stories are nothing more, than just ordinary historical stories, where the life has been sucked out of.
And then they find it weird, that when the moment comes, that parents decide, that the child is too old for the children’s Bible, and begin to read from the original Bible, that (s)he rebels and opposes. It’s no wonder, the child will rebel, because the child is not raised with the true Word of God, Whose words are spirit and life, but with adjusted historical stories, with nice images. The parents have done according to their child’s wishes, needs, will, and desires, and now of a sudden, the child’s wishes, desires, and will are not being met anymore.
Why don’t parents, caregivers, caretakers, churches, and congregations read from the original Bible from a young age, so that their children can learn the difference between good and evil, and will learn to discern the spiritual world? Speak about the fall of Adam, sin, iniquity, the will of God, the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the cross, the blood, death and resurrection, the new creation, baptisms, etc. Don’t be afraid to speak about the devil and his works, but tell them the truth. Make the spiritual world known to your child, because if you don’t do it, the devil will.
Why do so many children rebel and not want to go to church?
In most churches, there are special children’s services, where the children can play, do craftwork, and have the time of their lives. The children’s caretakers tell them a short Bible story, which is often adjusted so that it becomes more appealing and understandable for the children. After 5-10 minutes, the children will continue with their craftworks.
Everything revolves around the child; to please the child, to meet the will of the child, and to make it more appealing for them, to come to church.
Everything goes well, until the child turns twelve, and will attend the normal church service. Now all of a sudden, the child becomes one of the many church attendees. The pastor will not take the wishes and desires of the children into account, but will teach the Word of God to all the believers; young and old. What will happen to the child? The child will have difficulties adjusting, staying still, listening, staying awake, etc. Why? Because the child is not used to listening to the Bible; the Word of God and sermons.
The child has been spoiled the whole time, because the children’s services revolved around the will of the child and the child’s wishes and desires and to entertain the child. Because of the fact, that the child’s needs are not met anymore, the child will rebel, and stand up against the parents, not wanting to attend church service anymore.
Would a children’s church or youth church be a solution to this problem? No! Young and old should grow up together in the church; the body of Christ, that represents the Kingdom of God and His authority on this earth.
Young and old need each other. One can’t live without the other. Although many people think they can.
A child is not taught to adjust
The main problem is often, that a child has not been taught to adjust and to be submissive to authority; parents, elders, caretakers, leaders, etc. but everything is adjusted to the comfort of the child, to please the child and to make everything as appealing as possible for the child.
As soon as this stops, the child will rebel. You see this phenomenon already in the life of a baby when the baby doesn’t get what (s)he wants, (s)he will cry. But a child should learn to be submissive to parents, elders, caretakers, etc., and respect and obey them. But oftentimes, it’s the other way around.
To solve this problem, a child should attend normal church service from a young age, or the children’s services should be adjusted, so that there is barely a difference between the church service and the children’s service.
It is important to make the child known, from a young age, with the Bible; the Word of God and the spiritual things of the Kingdom of God.
It’s important to teach them about God, حضرت عیسی علیہ السلام, and the Holy Spirit, Who they are, and how (s)he can have a relationship with Them. It’s also important to teach the child the Word of God and how (s)he can apply the Word into his/her life. Instead of raising and nurturing the child with childish adjusted biblical stories and make a craft worker of the child.
The church shouldn’t be a play and crafts club, and the gospel of Jesus Christ shouldn’t be adjusted to some kind of children’s feel-good gospel. Children understand much more than parents and elders think.
A child should grow up into a spiritual soldier of Jesus Christ
A child should gain insights into the spiritual realm and be made familiar with the things of the Kingdom of God so that the child becomes spiritually strong and the child grows up into a devoted spiritual soldier of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.
If you don’t reveal the truth to them, from a young age, then the devil will rob your child, through his lies, and you shall lose your child to the world.
Many times parents read their children lovely and innocent Bible stories and don’t speak about the devil and his works.
While through children’s programs on television, children’s movies, children’s books, games, etc. the works of the devil and his kingdom are clearly present and the child is being fed daily with his works. Such as witchcraft, magic, Wicca, magicians, astrology, Eastern philosophy, yoga, new age, fighting, violence, rebellious behavior against parents, etc.
The mind of the child is fed and formed with the kingdom of darkness and the works of the devil.
While if parents would have raised their child from an early age in the things of the Kingdom of God and revealed the kingdom of darkness (the world) to the child, then the child could have recognized the works of the darkness and would have known to not get involved.
When you only say, that a book or a program, isn’t right, the child will only become more curious. Therefore you should tell the child the truth; tell it like it is, and make the spiritual realm known to the child. Children are never too young for Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God and you will not make them afraid either.
Children become smarter in the world,
but more foolish in the Kingdom of God
According to the world, children become more intelligent, so why do parents and churches want to keep their children ignorant? Why do many parents prevent the works of the Kingdom of God, and decide for themselves, what a child is able to handle and what not? While God is very clear in His Word. Through this behavior, the children will become more foolish regarding the spiritual Kingdom of God.
Not speaking about the devil,
but allowing to watch horror movies or series?
There are parents, who don’t want to talk about the devil, demons, and hell, while they allow their children to watch horror movies and horror series. This is the power of the devil, in the lives of the parent, who have blinded them with his lies.
The truth is, that you only scare children if you leave them ignorant. Because through ignorance and a lack of understanding of God’s Word and His Kingdom, children get involved with the works of the darkness and will be overwhelmed with fears and anxieties.
Don’t let the world and the devil steal your child, but raise them in the Word and the fear of the Lord. Teach your child, to have reverence for the Almighty God; the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and to obey the Word; یسوع. Because if you don’t do it, and you don’t claim your child for the Kingdom of God, the devil will come and will take your child captive and you will lose your child to the world.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
