What happens when our children sin? As parents why should we be concerned for our children's spiritual well being? Ray Steadman's article, "The Scars of Sin" is a solemn warning to parents to protect and guide their children during their formative years. At stake is their ability to live and serve the Lord free from the scars left by disobedience and rebellion. It is not normal for a child of God to experience a period of sowing “wild oats” and then to return to God to serve him after “getting it out of their system.” This is only "normal" when parents have failed to faithfully discharge their responsibility to spiritually nurture and pray for their children. Any parent who factors a period of "rebellion" into their strategy for raising their children is willfully ignorant of the uniform testimony of the scripture on God's promises and blessings for the Christian family.

We have witnessed a tremendous “dumbing down” in education through the removal of moral values from our educational systems. In August our local paper ran several articles concerning the increasing inability of students in different school districts to pass a standard literacy test. There has been a similar “dumbing down” in “moral literacy” among evangelical church members.

The end result is something best described as “practical atheism.” This way of life is becoming more common among evangelical Christians. It is defined by the disconnection and apparent contradiction of belief from daily conduct. Despite holding evangelical beliefs, the lifestyles of many professing Christians are unaffected by their beliefs. This is a strange contradiction, but one with which many modern church members are fully comfortable.

Pastor Ray Steadman was right on the mark in his remarks in the "Scars of Sin". Many Christians have a warped understanding of grace, thinking that grace will somehow shield them from the results of their own sins and make everything turn our right in the end. God, however is not mocked. Though willing to forgive, he is a wise governor of this universe and has designed appropriate consequences for our actions to uphold his moral order.

Each of us will one day answer for what we have done in the body. Though this will not be a judgment to determine salvation, it will be a qualitative assessment of all that we have done on this earth as believers. There is clearly the possibility of genuine loss resulting from building with inferior materials. The apostle Paul warned of this in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (KJV) "Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

Escaping through flames is a very clear picture of someone entering the Kingdom of God empty handed. Anyone who has experienced a fire knows the sense of complete loss resulting when the accumulation of years of living is consumed in smoke. Those who are casual when it comes to sin cheapen God's grace. But they will suffer loss, and though they may indeed be saved, they will enter eternity acutely aware of all they've lost by choosing to build with inferior materials.

What are these inferior materials? Paul states that the principles, philosophies, and leaders of this world are coming to nothing. (1 Corinthians 2:6) To build our lives on the wisdom and principles of this world is like building a house on sand, without a foundation. In the end, nothing will remain after the inevitable final testing.

When it comes to their children, many parents have chosen to take their chances with a haphazard approach to parenting. Some have fastened onto scriptural promises which they have no right to claim. They falsely hope that by bringing their children to church and seeing that they are instructed in the basics of the Christian faith they have fulfilled their responsibility to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

However, the most important direction of Scripture to parents is squarely aimed not at the children, but at the parents themselves. Deuteronomy 5:32-33 prefaces the instructions to parents in teaching their children with the admonition to see that the parents themselves should obey God's commands: “So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. 33 Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”

It is after this admonition God commanded parents to teach their children at every opportunity to walk with God. God's intent is that children should be introduced to the Word of God through the parents' devotion and obedience in their own daily walk with God.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

This kind of conversation between parents and children is natural when the parents themselves are living out a wholehearted commitment to follow God. To bring our children to a saving knowledge of God requires that we as parents should follow him closely. Children will hear our example many times louder than they will hear what we say. No amount of Sunday school can make up for our own backsliding and lack of heart for spiritual things.

Parents who would see their children spared from the scars of sin must follow God closely. When it comes to our foundational beliefs, a certain amount of digging is essential to make sure that we build on solid rock. Digging is hard work and requires discipline and purpose. It is not glamorous, but it is hardly accidental that Jesus attributed the builder's success against the raging flood waters to the most basic skill of digging deep. The well built house was not the one that was designed by the most clever and intelligent builder. It was the one that was built on the solid bedrock of truth. Getting to the solid foundation didn't require imagination and intellectual skills. It required no more than the simple discipline to move shovels of loose sand to expose solid rock.

Let me leave you with this challenge. The builder of the house with foundations determined to dig until he hit rock. It's a simple but effective plan for building a house that will last. What is your plan for building a house that will endure to eternity? Are you willing to dig down deep to build your life on the truth of God's word or will you be satisfied with the shifting sands of worldly principles and philosophy?

How much time have you spent thinking and planning for the critical task of raising your family? Do you read the Word of God each morning before you start your busy day? Do you give up an evening each week to regularly attend a Bible study aimed at strengthening your spiritual foundations? Families who take a disciplined approach to reading and studying the Bible will find that he is faithful to support and bless those who honor him by careful attention to his Word.