Thursday, September 24, 2009

Teach them to live for Christ.

Bring [your children] up in the training and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

In years past, an apprenticeship...began while the learner was still [quite] young. He moved right in with his teacher and...was with the master [tradesman] twenty-four hours a day, watching his every move and following his harsh instruction. He learned the skill, but he learned much more than a profession. He [learned] a whole way of life.

This total-life concept is built into the word translated "training" in Ephesians 6:4. It means much more than teaching the Bible and Christian belief, though those are involved. The expectation is that though word and personal example parents will nurture their children and teach them what it means to live for Christ in a practical, daily sense.