My generation is
rapidly passing away. One who is some younger than I dies, and soon I hear
of some who are older who have given up the ghost. "Ahaz slept with his
fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah
his son reigned in his stead" (2 Kings 16:20). This verse was
selected as one of many that might have been quoted from the books of Kings
in the Old Testament. Ahaz was not such a good man, and this article was not
written to honor him, but he "slept with his fathers, and was buried." He
went "the way of all the earth" (Josh. 23:14). The good and the bad
die, for "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment
(Heb. 9:27). Words cannot adequately describe the difference in the
destinies of the two groups of people.
Before men die they
have an influence on many, but especially upon their own children. A worldly
man cannot be expected to exert a wholesome spiritual influence upon those
whose lives he touches. Some would like to deny their influence while they
walk in darkness, but their example in word and in deed tends to leave its
mark upon their children. This is a wicked world with mature men making
merchandise of the souls of the young. Those who profit most financially in
the sale of liquor and other harmful drugs are adults, and many of their
customers are the young. Many young people are thieves, fornicators,
drunkards, and blasphemers, but they are descendants of the generation that
made idols of the dollar, worldly pleasures, power, and the praise of men.
The younger
generation does not have to follow the older generation or there could be no
converts. Paul and his wonderful companions saw many sons and daughters of
pagans baptized into Christ. Many people have changed their course in
repentance and walked in the way of the Lord after starting down the broad
way in the steps of the adults who influenced them early in life (1 Cor.
6:11; Acts 18:8). "The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall
not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the
iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him,
and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him" (Ezek. 18:20).
The statement made here has been true in the past, and it is true at this
time. Each man should examine himself for each shall give account for his
own deeds (2 Cor. 5:10).
It is hard for a
family of good people to bring up children in the way they should go if
their children are with unbelieving teachers and with ungodly neighbors. If
most people in a given community use liquor and lasciviousness for their
pleasures, it is hard for a good mother to bring up a wonderful son or
daughter who will follow the steps of Jesus. This is especially true if her
husband is one of the common herd rather than the kind of man to bring up
his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Many things that are
difficult are not impossible. Parents should put forth the effort it takes
to see their little ones become adults who are Christians. This is the
better life for them now, and only those who do the will of the Father in
heaven while they are upon the earth shall enter in through the gates into
the city.
The young often react
in disgust to the "establishment." This may be done by rebellion or by
repentance and godliness. We saw the mobs of the sixties, but if we look we
can find some of the finest young people who have ever walked upon the face
of the earth. Some in our day are writing about the sad lack of young people
at worship time. They must have been on some other planet or on a different
part of this planet to the places I go. There is a larger percentage of
young people among the devout and faithful servants of the Lord in our
decade in the churches which I am privileged to observe than in any other
decade that I have known. My path leads me in gospel meetings to small
congregations and larger from the Great Lakes to Florida. Where do you men
go who are so impressed by the lack of young people in the audiences? There
are congregations without young adults, but these congregations are sick.
Some of the most able and most unselfish gospel preachers are less than half
my age. Let us give thanks to God for their unfeigned faith and love of the
brethren. Why should any godly man fail to see them and to realize their
existence? The wonderful young people who serve so well now in the Lord's
vineyard are the next generation after the one that produced the division
and the back-to-denominationalism movement among churches of Christ.
Some of the very able
young preachers have been swept into the tolerant grace-faith-unity movement
of the "free people." We must not close our eyes to this fact, either. There
are more of them than we would like to think. This is another example of
older apostates leading the fair young lambs away after them. It is amazing
that Carl Ketcherside and others of his type and age group should be able to
make such inroads among conservative brethren. Such belong among the
"Disciples," and some are leaving our brethren to work among the modernistic
denominations. It is sad to see these able young people so deceived, but it
is a wonderful relief to the faithful churches when they leave and go among
those of their own kind. It would be better by far if the deceived could be
awakened to repentance, but only the good soil will receive the word and
bring forth fruit with patience. One cannot be taught the truth unless he
has a willingness to learn or be corrected. Some of the most effective men
who are working to rescue the young "unity" factionists are their peers.
There are able young defenders of the truth as well as able promoters of
this new apostasy.
It is the special
responsibility of parents to train their children, but class teachers,
elders, and preachers have their own duties to the young as well as to the
older. The churches that did not follow the food-fun-frolic craze are seeing
many devout and capable young people who are putting on the whole armor of
God that they may be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.
Twenty-five years ago many were saying that we had better do something for
the young or we would lose them. The thing the church should have done then
was to teach them the whole counsel of God and demonstrate in conduct and
attitude the right way of the Lord. The same is true today. No age group can
be more disgusted with hypocrisy, nor have more respect for those who walk
in the steps of Jesus than those who are in their teens who have had a
chance to see the beauty of holiness.
Each church should
develop a good number of song leaders. The death of one man should not leave
the congregation without a capable song leader. If elders die or move, there
should be good men who are established in the faith to take their places.
Older people in the church have failed miserably if they have ignored the
great potential among the children in their presence. The children of today
will be the church of tomorrow. Let not those whose hair is white with age
think that they are indispensable. Time will soon dispense with them and
turn the children into adults. What will the next generations be? That
depends upon the spiritual food and exercise they get while they are adding
years to their young lives. They need to exercise their senses in developing
their abilities. They need to be encouraged and appreciated. A large church
that has trouble finding teachers, song leaders, and young preachers in
their number should have a prayer meeting accompanied by some genuine
repentance. There is something seriously wrong with the older people.
Those who are tender
in years are tender of heart and they are, therefore, the easiest to lead to
the Lord and into His vineyard. If Christians would save their own children,
the church would grow from within. Many fail, but the fact that some do
succeed proves that it is possible. There are worldly people who do not lie,
steal, blaspheme, become intoxicated, or commit fornication. Their spiritual
weakness lies in their dedication to "success," sports, and other things of
this life. They talk of money, entertainment, and success and not of Christ
before their children. They have not set their affections on things above
and, unfortunately, their children will likely look about them rather than
up to God.
Those who teach Bible
classes and those who preach have a fearful responsibility to teach the word
as being the counsel of God. Much can be done to direct the thinking of the
children toward spiritual things. Many classes are not well taught. This is
a fact that should distress us. Do the pupils gain knowledge of and respect
for the Bible as the word of God? All of us need to be very much interested
in the next generations. They will be the product of the influences about
them. Elders and parents should look in the mirror if the young in the
church are not spiritually minded and willing to work in the Lord's
vineyard.
Truth Magazine - August 3, 1978
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