Scripture reading: Ephesians 4:17–21

The Apostate’s Creed

Train up a child in the way he should go;

even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

 

If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a thousand times: “I don’t want to force religion on my children. I’ll let them grow up and make their own choice about what they want to believe.” On the surface such language sounds noble, loving and open-minded. After all, who would want to “cram religion” down the throats of those sweet little innocent cherubs? Let’s respect their freedom and let them make up their own minds about Ultimate Reality.

Don’t be fooled. Parents who piously claim they don’t want to foist a specific religion on their children are in fact imposing a very definite view of God and the world upon them! Refusing to teach about God is itself a very effective means of teaching about him. Though claiming to be creedless, such parents are evangelizing their children into a worldview whose basic beliefs can be summed up in the following eight articles:

,. God is optional.

,. One person’s ideas about God are as good as another’s.

,. Choosing a religion is like buying a car. Shop around. They’re all basically alike, so pick the one that suits you best.

,. Children don’t need God. But some adults do. So just wait until you are older to think seriously about this question.

,. Don’t expect parents to answer basic life questions such as, Who is God? What happens  at  death?  Does  God  hear  my prayers? Do  Muslims  go to heaven? etc. Either parents don’t know the answers or they don’t care enough to discuss it.

,. The religion of parents is not worth passing on.

,. Developing a worldview requires no real effort or preparation. No outside help is needed to formulate our deepest beliefs about Ultimate Reality. It’s easy. Just figure it out for yourself.

,. This 8-point creed is the true one. All other creeds are false.

Paul reminded Timothy that it was thanks to the godly influence of his grand- mother Lois and his mother Eunice, that he was a member of the family of God (II Timothy 1:5). These wonderful women had raised Timothy by teaching him the sacred scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (II Timothy 3:15).

I’m eternally grateful for the fact that God in his grace allowed me to have parents who lived by a different creed. They did everything humanly possible to transmit their faith to my sisters and me. Without their coaching, I don’t think I would have ever found the path to truth.

Thank God for faithful parents! Where would we be without them?

 

Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.

—G. K. Chesterton

point to ponder • Those who despise all creeds usually fail to recognize the creedal passion of their non-creedal position.

prayer focus • Those thinking it’s of little importance to teach their children about God.