Posterity Potential

One of the greatest collections of national treasures we as Americans have today are the letters of correspondence between John and Abigail Adams. The Massachusetts Historical Society is in possession of over 1,100 of them! Married for over 40 years John and Abigail were apart more years than they were together because they understood that the sacrifice and labor to which they devoted themselves during those perilous times would one day bless future generations of Americans. The closing lines of one of his letters written to his beloved Abigail in 1777, reads:

“Posterity! You will never know how much it costs the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make a good use of it and if you do not-I shall repent in heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it.”

Posterity. Those who will come after, those who will live in the future. One’s descendants.

Christian parents need to seize some of John and Abigail’s fervor and vision when it comes to the nurturing and upbringing of their children. How both spiritually and doctrinally will they be equipped to face the future? Why doctrine? Because it is the embodiment of all we believe based on the Scriptures.

As Americans, we are aware that these are unprecedented times for us. John Adams, back in the late 1700s, looked forward to times of freedom, liberty, and great prosperity for this infant nation as it leaped out of its cradle and prevailed against the greatest army in the world. He envisioned a republic built on the principles of morality and religious liberty. But as we look around us at the condition of America today, we recall he also wrote: “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”

Here are some current facts about our country:

As new research emerges, the number of people who believe in God is shrinking every decade. Not to bore you with all this data, but we should understand that how much America has declined morally is specifically related to a lack of knowledge or belief in God.

According to the following Gallup polls: In the 1950’s and 60’s 96% of the US population claimed a strong belief in the God of the Bible-

Skip forward to the early to mid-teens 2000’s-the percentage of Americans who claimed a strong belief in the God of the Bible declined to 87%.

Last year a 2023 Gallup poll revealed the following: Only 51% of those polled in the US believe in God as described in the Scriptures.
22% affirmed they do not believe in God as described in the Scriptures but subscribe to some kind of higher power.

The remaining 27%-which is over ¼ of our population-indifferent.

What will the world be like in a few years or less? In Luke chapter eight our Lord made a profound statement concerning the last days, “ …Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Will there be conviction of the truth of anything? (according to Strongs) Any belief respecting man’s relationship to God? Any conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ? Any reliance upon Christ for forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation? Will there be praying faith?

To my way of thinking, the most essential instruction, the most valuable influence parents can contribute to their children’s welfare and soundness of soul and spirit is a strong foundation in the Scriptures; both, by way of the content of the Scriptures and
equally as important for the parent who professes Christ, by way of behavior, conduct and lifestyle. Explaining, teaching, answering their questions. For example, give them a solid and accurate knowledge of:

God. Who is God? He is the Creator and Sustainer of everything. God is holy therefore he is without sin. God is love. He is perfect in all of his ways. He is perfectly good. God is almighty. God is truth. God takes care of us.

Of sin. What is sin? Sin is doing wrong. It is going against what God says is right. It is breaking God’s Law. It is hurtful and harmful, it is destructive. Sin is the cause of every terrible thing in the world. It is why we have disease, sickness, racism, crimes, and evil. But the biggest problem is we are sinful! Sin comes right from our hearts!

Jesus. Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, the only means of our salvation. He never sinned. He was completely human and completely God. He came to save us from our sins. To bring us to God.

The Bible. The Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God, and is accurate in everything it says. It does not contain the Word of God-it is the Word of God. It is the authority for Christian faith and practice and is the foundation on which believers must build their lives.

Make certain your children have a biblical understanding of salvation and their need of it-yet do not rush them into a prayer. Prepare them for the day they fully understand and will be saved-lay the foundation, line upon line, precept upon precept. Salvation cannot be some watered-down version of redemption- different for children than adults. These truths must be considered. If you, a personal worker, or some teacher pushes salvation on a child or plays into their emotions they will make a false profession. And that leads to confusion. Children are emotional beings. And some children are far more emotional than others. Some are just natural-born people pleasers so of course they want to please mommy, daddy, or the visiting speaker. If they are blessed enough to sit under sound preaching, they will hear preaching and teaching about such truths as the taking away of the saints or Hell. No child wants to imagine waking up one morning to find their parents have disappeared. The thought of going to hell will keep a child wide awake for nights! Truths such as the rapture or the fear of going to hell are incentives for salvation, but it is with an honest and good heart, Luke 8:15,
the heart’s knowledge of our sin against God and our separation from him that convicts us and convinces us that we need to be saved.

I have no doubt you want to have a Christ-centered home. However, attending a great church is not going to assure you of that. A great, strong Bible-believing Bible-preaching church is above and beyond an asset but you have got to do more than just attend faithfully. It is obedience to God’s Word and God’s plan for the structure within the home that brings these particular blessings to your family. Simply stated-when we obey-God blesses. This is a fixed principle in the Scriptures. No getting around it. It is a dominant theme throughout the Bible in the lives of the people whose stories are told there.

So what is your plan going to be? This is not something to take casually for we speak of eternal things. How will you be sure your children will be able to know how to stand in the future? Parents must:

I. Combat cultural influences now– Parents are all about safety these days. Locks on every kitchen cabinet, safety gates, organic everything, BPA-free water bottles, and on and on; but what about battling cultural influences all along the way? You cannot wait until your children are well into their teen years-you have to start when they are young. We are in a battle for the souls of our children in this country now more than ever. There are certain influences that are dangerous and you should be aware of them. Here is how you can protect your children:

A. Know your children-observe them-What are your child’s propensities toward the world? Some children could not care less-while others are very curious and typically they are very easily influenced by the world. Some children never waver from parental guidance, while others seem to be the types born with a clear idea of how they want their world to be operated, and an intolerance for those who disagree! Put up guardrails for your children. It should not matter what everyone else is doing, wearing, watching, or pursuing. You have got to set goals for your children. The Bible should be the Measure, the Standard for what you allow or do not allow in your child’s life-not what another Christian parent happens to permit for her child. This has everything to do with being a hands-on, eyes and ears wide open, godly mother. Don’t worry if you get labeled a “Helicopter mom.” Go a step further and be a Black Hawk mom!
Ignore the negativism the world attaches to the nurturing and protecting of your child. If you desire to raise God-fearing young people you have got your work cut out for you. Attend to it with all of your heart.

B. Know the people they look up to-Think with me: Who are you allowing in your children’s lives as their role models? Are they godly, upstanding Christians? If not, and you are promoting people who should not be endorsed, do not be surprised if they are the same ones who step into your child’s life one day, as the “understanding relative” to counsel them in opposition to your views. I have seen this repeatedly throughout the years of my husband’s ministry and even among our relatives. Some Christians have got to wake up and get over this “family is the end all” thing. It is not our relatives who merit our undying support and allegiance. We as Christians should be known for our authentic expressions of love and kindness, but you will never gain anything by compromising your testimony to please your relatives. And when it comes to your children, it would be naïve to believe, “After all, it’s family-what could go wrong?”
What I mean to say once more is no one should be closer to your child, no one should have more influence on them, and no one to whom your children should pour out their hearts more than you.

As for their friends, some kids can be very inauthentic in front of their friends’ parents, especially as they grow older. You know, Prince Charming when the parents are around and a devil behind their backs. Remember this: Kids need friends-it’s natural, it’s fun-but they don’t need them as much as they need you. Same with their cousins. Moreover, as they grow up friends can change seemingly overnight. Often for the worse. Your child could become disillusioned, hurt, and even begin to question some things for himself if that happens. So, listen to the conversations your children are having with their friends. Be within earshot. I am not implying that every friend or relative in your child’s life is a potential danger, but rather, if you have godly aspirations for your child, you must develop standards to protect them. Again, they do not need to be closer to their friends or their friend’s family than they are to you.

C. Create limitations so your kids are not rushed out of childhood. Permission to wear make-up, use the internet, have a phone, get a job, drive, etc. can change a child’s mind about a number of things, not the least of which is his or her parent’s intellect versus their own! Delaying these activities until your child displays an appropriate level of maturity enables you to use them as rites of passage that mark healthy progress toward adulthood. Pssst. Want to know the first sign of maturity? Respect for you. You are not your child’s friend. (Gasp!) You are the adult in the room. Though your child(ren) may seem emotionally mature and ready to take on the world they are not and cannot. And though it may seem they are making challenging arguments; rest assured-their brains are not fully formed yet and do not reach full maturation until they are in their mid-twenties. So you need to understand who you are dealing with, take a deep breath, and maintain your ground. When your child shows respect for you and your word they are moving in the right direction. However, you should model for them the way you want them to act with you. Even if the answer is still “no,” taking the time to graciously listen to their perspective can go a long way. And when a child/teen becomes, shall we say, disenchanted by your rules or decisions you must always remain calm and respond with the wisdom your years of life and experience have given you. It does not matter what the world says should happen at age 16 or 18. Some parents naively give in to the belief that “Oh, they’re 16-they have to get their permit…”. But why? My question would always be-is there a need right now? “No-but they want it.” So, do we give them candy for breakfast because they want it? As we set up stages and boundaries we give our children something to look forward to. It’s wrong thinking to believe you should give your child everything. Maturity and trustworthiness is a process-not something that automatically happens when the child turns eighteen.

The world’s assault on our children’s innocence is undisguised and blatant. It is increasingly intrusive and explicit-from TV, to music, to movies, and the internet. Children need years of innocence; days when good biblical and moral instruction can be established in their little, tender hearts. What great hope and promise for parents to know we have a Guide, an Intercessor, a Friend, and a Counselor all along the journey. James 1:5 encourages us:

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally…”.

As for me, there is no “if”. I know I lack wisdom for all the perplexities of this life! What a blessing that all we have to do is ask! May the Lord greatly bless your every effort as you bring up your children in His School of nurturing and learning. I wish you a Varsity Letter!

Thank you so much for reading,

Liz