Every generation of believers must remain fearful of the Almighty One. That’s why teaching children not just of the knowledge of God, but also to fear God, is important.

People who commit sin don’t necessarily not know the Bible. There are preachers who have committed sin - covetousness, sexual immorality. Children, as well, have fallen into acts of immorality. Some of them have gone through RE and theological courses. It’s not that they don’t know the word. It is the lack of fear in them that result in their committing of sin. Our generation is a perverse generation, causing the fear of God to be lacking. But in that True Jesus Church, our children must be taught to fear God.

Psa 33:6-9, 34:9-10
These two passages talk about the fear of God. Why must we fear God? Because God is the Almighty creator. When we see creation, we see how great He is. Man should have a sense of terror and reverence for God. Then only will we know how to keep His commandments.

Today, God cannot be seen by us. But when Man loses the knowledge that God is our creator and we are a creature of God whose lives belong to God, Man begins to live his life according to his own wishes rather than the will of God. This is why many abominable things are done. Whatever the Lord has commanded, even though Man may know, Man may not keep due to the lack of fear.

Solomon led his life enjoying the things of the world. Because when he prayed for wisdom, God gave him riches as well. At the same time, though he had wisdom, he gave way to his fleshly desires. Therefore most of his life was spent on satisfying his flesh (he had 700 wives and 300 concubines eeks!). “Whatever his eyes beheld, he did not withhold from himself.” When he desired anything, he acted. But when he wrote Ecclesiastes, he realised all this was vanity, and the most important thing

Only when we know how to fear God do we know how to conduct ourselves properly in our lives. Human beings are different from animals. God has given us wisdom to know and worship Him. That’s why Man knows how to fear God. If we know how to fear God and keep His commandments, we have fulfilled our duty as a creature. If we don’t and do evil, God will bring into judgement every evil deed we’ve done.

Thank the Lord most of our children have been baptised. About 30-40% were baptised when they were infants. But they must be taught to fear God. If not, they won’t remain in the faith to serve God. They’ll fall to sin and commit many evil things. On the day of judgement, they won’t be amongst those able to receive everlasting life.

Prov 3:5-7
What is the fear of God? To depart from evil. The world is getting more and more evil. Even in a disciplined society like Singapore, still much evil is committed. Evil things are abominable before God; against the commandments of the Lord; sins. Those who commit such sins deserve punishment. But those who fear God know how to depart from evil.

Children can refer to those in the church and in our family. In Christian families, children are baptised when young. We baptise them from young because baptism saves their souls. But after that, it is our duty as parents to raise them up. Children are a heritage of the Lord. Meaning to say: children are God’s property. Teaching them to fear God is our responsibility. It is also the church’s duty of course.

Although there are little details of Jacob teaching Joseph. But from Joseph’s conduct, we can see that the fear of God had been inculcated in him before the age of 17. Jacob must’ve taught him from young by examples of faith (e.g. building altars), or perhaps by testimonies of God’s hand in his life. In the land of evil idol worshipping Egypt, Joseph was not influenced or tainted. When tempted by Potiphar’s wife, he fled and exclaimed, “How can I do this great evil and sin against God?” Joseph rather be thrown into prison than lie with his mistress BECAUSE of the fear of God.

Sins are not just committed by adults but also by teenagers. In Malaysia, a boy of 13 and a girl of 11 had a child. How to get them married? Impossible! That is a sin. These things are committed all time. It is frightening when we hear reports of sexual immorality happening in church. These people have been brought up in the church and gone through RE. Yet they commit this sin still! Why? Because of the lack of the fear of God.

This was why when God gave the commandments, the Israelites were told to “keep the commandments and fear God.”
Deut 6:1-15
The book of Deuteronomy is the second reading of the law by Moses. It was the 40th year and they were about to cross the Jordan into the land of promise. Moses read the laws to remind them what God had said to them.
v4-5 “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one!
This has become the creed of Israel, and they recite this daily. This was how the people were supposed to learn to fear God, by being reminded that God is the creator who brought them out of Egypt’s bondage; the God who led them through the treacherous wilderness. This was to be recited by both old and young, so that the children would know to fear God too.

v7 “You shall teach them DILIGENTLY to your children.”
Diligent, and not casual. Today many of us are very casual with our children’s faith. We don’t read them Bible stories. We don’t show them how to pray. The only time they pray is when they come for RE. There needs to be a family altar! If you yourself don’t even read the Bible or pray, how can there be a family altar at home?

Thank God that how serious the children are when praying in front has improved. In the past, a majority were playing. Now, only 1 or 2 mischievous ones play. Many small ones have also begun speaking in tongues! This reflects how parents have been serious and diligent in setting up a family altar.

Many parents say after their children commit sin: “Did you not tell my children it’s wrong to do this?” In response, the speaker asked, “Did you send your child for RE class?” Some only attend halfway, and the parents are not concerned at all. But in contrast are very concerned about their academic education. Piano classes and holidays take precedence over the theological course. If they don’t attend the theological course, they won’t want to attend the following year because their classmates have advanced to the next year. If we have this type of attitude, our children probably cannot be raised up in the fear of God.

What is the consequence of not raising our children in the fear of God? Eli’s case is a classic example. Eli the priest had two sons who became priests too. They grew up near the temple and yet they took God’s sacrifices and committed immorality with the women who came up to offer to God. They were worthless. God wanted to destroy them because they were priests who were supposed to be a good example to the nation! Instead they committed such evil and showed contempt to God.

Why did they grow up as such? Because Eli himself despised the sacrifices of God.

1 Sam 2:27-34
Eli honoured his sons more than he honoured God. His sons did not only commit evil but also showed contempt for God. When they were incorrigible and were unable to be corrected, Eli should’ve handed them to the elders to be decided what to do (Deut 21), probably they would’ve been stoned. But Eli didn’t. Of course one should love one’s son. But when they’re so abominable before God, not dealing with them would result in calamity for the whole family. Indeed, judgement was pronounced upon their family: not a young man will remain in his house. Eli and his two sons died. The ark of the covenant was captured. Upon hearing this, Eli’s daughter-in-law gave birth and died.

Because Eli did not fear God nor inculcated the fear of God in his children, calamity befell them.

Today thank God many of our children have been baptised. But they still need to be taught to fear God. However in the present evil society, many go to church but don’t fear God. Many come to church for their flesh - for fellowships, for outings, to express their talents and be admired by people. If they don’t fear God, they won’t know what coming to church is for, why they need to serve God. If they fear God, they’d be like Joseph. Joseph fled from his mistress because of his fear for God. “You meant evil to me, but God meant it for good.” (Gen 50:15-21) Even though Joseph had the power to punish his brothers, he forgave them, because he kept himself in the fear of God. Even though Joseph was a high ranking official who led a comfortable life in Egypt, he didn’t view it as home. He believed God would one day lead them back to the promised land. That was why he requested for his bones to be taken out of Egypt (Gen 50:24-25).

We hope our future generation will have the fear of God like Joseph. But it begins with us, the present generation. We must be God fearing. We must depart from evil. We must know how to honour God more than our children/family. How we fear God will affect the inculcation of the fear of God in our children. So when our children meet with evil, they’ll depart from it. With the proper inculcation of the fear of God, our hope of meeting in the Kingdom of Heaven will be realised. Hope to meet the older generation who have gone, and hope to meet the younger generation next time too.