Who “Owns” Children?

If you reject God and his Word, then anything goes—there’s no absolute standard on which to base your thinking. In this view, children are just biological machines, the product of millions of years of evolution. They aren’t given to parents—they are just a “choice” parents made.

But when we start with God’s Word, we learn that children are a gift from God—given to parents. He has given parents authority over their children and the responsibility of training, teaching, and raising children. They are not just “choices,” nor are they the government’s responsibility—children are parent’s responsibility because God gave children to their parents to train them up for him.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD. (Psalm 127:3)

You see, the family unit didn’t evolve. God created the family when he created marriage (Genesis 1:27 and 2:24) and told the first couple to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). He entrusted children to parents to raise them in accord with the principles he has laid down for us in his Word (e.g., Psalm 127:3).

And we must remember: the most important part of education is the spiritual upbringing of children, as that affects their eternity:

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. (Ephesians 3:8)

Parents—take this responsibility seriously! God has given you a big job, and there’s no job more important than discipling your children in the Lord.

Parents—take this responsibility seriously! God has given you a big job, and there’s no job more important than discipling your children in the Lord. If you aren’t thoughtfully and purposefully parenting in the Lord, I urge you and your spouse to sit down and discuss your “game plan” as a family for how you can be purposeful about this job with an eternal impact. As our world gets darker, it’s more vital than ever that you and your spouse be purposeful in how you raise your children.

You can learn more about godly parenting at our “Raising Godly Generations” conference, October 5–7, 2021, at the Ark Encounter, south of Cincinnati. Also, check out the new book I wrote that was published a few months ago, Will They Stand?: Parenting Kids to Face the Giants.

Get More Answers on Answers News

This item was discussed yesterday on Answers News with cohosts Bryan Osborne, Dr. Jennifer Rivera, and Dr. Georgia Purdom. Answers News is our twice-weekly news program filmed here at the Creation Museum and broadcast on my Facebook page and the Answers in Genesis Facebook page. We also covered the following intriguing topics:

• Fetal membranes repair themselves after injury.
• Was evolution a revolution?
• Snopes co-founder and owner accused of plagiarism.
• And more!

Be sure to join us each Monday and Wednesday at 2 p.m. (ET) on my Facebook page or the Answers in Genesis Facebook page for Answers News. You won’t want to miss this unique news program that gives science and culture news from a distinctly biblical and Christian perspective.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.