By bro Lee Tian Seng
The Bible teaches that the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 - Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.
As adults, we are taught what it means to fear God and how to do it, but children may not understand that. Parents need to teach their children about this.
To begin with, parents need to teach their children about God and what He did for man. That He had created the whole universe by His Word.
Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
He had created everything so beautifully and wonderfully for us to enjoy.
He is a loving God who cares for us and hears our prayers.
I Peter 5:6-7 - Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Parents need to teach their children that God is worthy of our worship.
Psalms 18:3 - I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
God also desires us to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
John 4:24 - God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Not only do children need to know that there is a wonderful and loving God who is worthy of our worship, we also need to teach them how to worship God.
Cain and Abel were taught how to worship God by presenting an animal sacrifice. Abel worshipped God the right way but Cain did not.
Genesis 4:3-5 - And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
There is a right way to worship God, and a wrong way to worship God. There is a need to teach children to worship God in the right spirit and in truth. Therefore, parents need to teach children the five acts of worship:
1. Pray to God (1 Timothy 2:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
2. Singing songs of praise to God (Ephesians 5:19; 1 Corinthians 14:15).
3. Listen to the teaching of God’s word (Acts 20:7; 2 Timothy 4:2).
4. Taking the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
5. Giving a contribution to God (1 Corinthians 16:2).
Parents also teach their children to worship God by demonstrating it. They should themselves worship regularly with the church on Sunday, without forsaking the assembly, and bring their children along with them.
Hebrews 10:25 - not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Parents with little children also need to teach their children to sit still and keep quiet during worship. This can be done by teaching and training them. For older children, parents can teach them to take notes during the sermon. Also, to sing and pray with the church and to give a contribution.
When children learn to worship God, they will grow up with the right understanding. They will appreciate what is worship when they become a Christian.