Do godly parents have godly children? It would help if you had a truth table to help you answer that question. The answer is significant for your freedom. While you are responsible for being a Godly parent, ultimately, children make their own choices.
So, let's ask some different questions. Do you think this is an accurate statement? Great parents can have bad kids. Now consider this statement. Is it true? Bad parents can have great kids.
Both statements are factual.
The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. – Ezekiel 18:20
Truth Table
The table pictured on the video thumbnail above is a "Truth Table." It allows you to take two things you see as linked and provide insight into how they are not linked.
That table answers the questions in the first two paragraphs above. Here is how you would read the table.
- Godly parents "+" have godly children "+."
- Ungodly parents "-" have ungodly children "-"
- Godly parents "+" have ungodly children "-"
- Ungodly parents "-" have godly children "+."
If you believe that godly parents will have godly children, you will have difficulty seeing the reality that the options represented by the four boxes on the right side are accurate.
The table is not assigning probabilities; it only identifies what is TRUE. If you only accept the first four boxes on the left side, you operate in 50% of reality.
Who Is Responsible?
Read Ezekiel 18 to see what God thinks about children and parents. It starts in verse 1 with a proverb about fathers eating sour grapes and the children setting their teeth on edge. In verse 3, God says He never wants to hear that proverb again. If you get the picture of the proverb, the father is eating sour grapes, but the children are reacting to the sourness, you will see what is happening. The children blame the father for the way they turned out.
God says, I never want to hear that again (verse 3). But why are the children saying it? Because that is what they believe God said in Exodus 20:5, "...visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me..." So, it is understandable they would be thinking this way.
God's Clarification
But God is setting the record straight. Even if there are consequences from your parent's behavior or your children's behavior, the real issue is YOUR BEHAVIOR! That is made abundantly clear in verse 20.
The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. – Ezekiel 18:20
It is imperative to understand what God tells you here. Even if you are the most depraved parent, the ultimate end for your child is still their decision for or against God. He holds them accountable for choosing Him or not. And God holds you responsible for being a depraved parent but not for your children's decisions.
Watch this TV Show, "Does God Link Parents to Their Children's Decisions?" to get more details on Ezekiel 18. It will be available on May 15, 2022, at 8:00 AM.
Why Is This Important?
Suppose you have great children that honor God, excellent. If you have reprobate children that dishonor God, that is sad. Either way, the issue you need to focus on is your behavior, not theirs. Are you the parent God wants you to be right now? If you are walking with God, I hope that you continue. And I hope that your children continue to be godly.
Either one of you can change, and it is your individual decision. You might try to blame your parents for the way you are or your children for how they turned out, but God says that is not acceptable. You are responsible for your decisions, and they are responsible for theirs.
This is about trusting God no matter the lifestyle of your children. Are you willing to trust that His plan is PERFECT despite what you see?
This is a critical message about freedom, humility, and accountability. As parents, are we willing to accept it?
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