Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Is this a promise to parents?
The Proverbs are a collection of wise sayings that are general truths. This is certainly the case with (Proverbs 22:6). As a general rule, if you train up a child in the way they should go, when they are older they will not leave it. The greater probability is that a child will not depart from how they were raised when they are older.
Proverbs 22:6 Is Not A Guaranteed Promise
Many Christians hang onto this Proverb as a 100% guaranteed promise from the Bible, which it is not. While it is likely that a child raised properly in a Christian home will not depart from the Christian faith, or at least return to it when they are older, it unfortunately isn’t always the case.
For young Christian parents who become disheartened at the realization that this Proverb isn’t a promise, remember the same general truth will apply to however a child is raised. If a child is not raised up in the Christian faith, in all likelihood this child will not be a Christian when they are older. It is the parents God-given responsibility to raise their children in the way they should go. This is by far the greatest hope for the child to remain in the truth in their later years.
Knowledge Of The Truth Will Never Leave Them
Parents can take comfort in knowing that a person who is raised with the truth of God taught and lived out in front of them as they grow up, this knowledge of the truth will never leave them. We find a good example of this general truth in (2 Timothy 1:5). Paul, speaking of Timothy says, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” The Christian faith was passed down from Timothy’s grandmother, to his mother, and then to Timothy.
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