A Call to Parents Depending On the "Train up a Child" scripture.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." -Proverbs 22:6

I have once again run across someone claiming the proper way to interpret this scripture is "Train up a child in the way he should go (i.e. if you take them to Sunday School every week and make them participate in Youth Group,) then when he is old he will come back to it."

In other words, what is being taught is, "Though this scripture appears to promise that if you raise your child right they will never leave God, it is really saying to not worry when they DO leave God because they will come back when they are old."

I do not believe this is the correct way to interpret this verse. To check it out I looked it up in other translations:

NIV- Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

NLT- Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.


ESV- Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

NASB- Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

ASV- Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.

And so on....(honestly, no matter the translation they were almost identical)

The more scholarly the reputation of a translation, the more likely they put in the word "even." 

Other scriptures on the subject:

Isaiah 54:13 All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.

Isaiah 59:21 “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

Isaiah 44:3-5 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. 4 They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. 5 This one will say, ‘I am the LORD’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.

Isaiah 61:8-9 …I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.

Isaiah 65:23 They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD, and their descendants with them.

Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.

Luke 1:50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 

Acts 16:31-33 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
Especially that last one, "You will be saved, you and your household."



"Believe" is an action verb. If you truly believe something, you act on it, you obey.

I firmly believe no parent can make the decision to serve God for their child. God has no grandchildren. We must all come to Him ourselves.

However, these verses make it sound very much like if we will raise our kids right we GREATLY improve the chances of them choosing God. Not "come to God when they get old," but come to God while children and choose to stay by His side for their whole lives.

Now Let me put in here, even if the scripture is being interpreted right this is not acceptable.

If your child comes back to God when he is old, he likely has finished raising his own children by the time he changes courses. Your grandkids will NOT have been "brought up in the way they should go." The Church ends in one generation. (65-85% of children raised in church but sent to government schools quit serving God the minute they become adults. 4-15% of those who are homeschooled leave the Church. Hmmmm)


I believe the problem is that 100-150 years of Christian parents have failed to bring their children up right. I don't want to say that. I know it hurts many, many wonderful, God-fearing brothers and sisters in Christ.

But we can't fix a problem until we know what the problem is. We can't turn (repent) from our sins until we acknowledge we have sinned.

What Does God Say About "Bringing Up" Children

Deuteronomy 6:7, “Teach [My Words] unto your children talking of them when you do your errands in town, rest in the evening, get ready for the day, and do your day’s work.” (In other words; Every Waking Moment. How can you do that if your child is spending the majority of their waking moments under an authority that denies God?)

Ephesians 6:4, “Parents, don’t frustrate your children but bring them up in the education and culture of the Lord.” (Do your children spend the majority of their waking hours receiving the "education of the Lord"? If they don't, you are setting them up for frustration and anger by telling them to serve God AND obey a godless authority.)

Deuteronomy 4:9 “Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,” (Obviously, not talking about a community's children, but the direct parents and grandparents of a child.)

Deuteronomy 11:19 “You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” (God always repeats the most important commands).

Exodus 8: 8 “And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘This is done because of what the LORD did for me.”

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Galatians 3:24 “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (It is learning God’s laws that brings us to Christ. Do your children learn God's laws, or man's?)

Jeremiah 10:2 “Thus says the LORD: “ Do not learn the way of the Gentiles;…” Don't even know what the unsaved are up to, much less copy their methods.

Psalm 1:2 “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates DAY AND NIGHT.” (This includes school hours).

2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing EVERY THOUGHT into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” (Even math thoughts)

Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Think God-free thoughts, live a God-free life.)

Luke 6:40 “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained (finished with his schooling) will be like his teacher.” (and if his teacher, textbooks, etc aren’t chirsitian…)

Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” If your child is spending the majority of their hours sitting next to the children of the unsaved, reading the same books as the unsaved, listening to the same teacher as the unsaved, I'm pretty sure their education is "conformed to the world.")

Matthew 16:23 “But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not MINDFUL OF THE THINGS OF GOD, but the things of men.”

Colossians 3:1 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” (What do you tell your children to set their minds on all day long? Getting good grades from the God-free school? Getting along with their God-free peers?)

Matthew 22:37-38 “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and great commandment.” (Our minds are NOT to be left behind when we go to serve God.)

On the affects of non-Christian associations

1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” (Is the company your child is keeping for the majority of their waking hours evil or Godly?)

Proverbs 13:20 “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.” (Remember that “the fool says in his heart there is no God.” So anyone who walks with, or spends time with, someone who doesn’t acknowledge God is on the path to destruction.)

Matthew 18:6 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

The Content of True Education

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (What more do you need from an education?)

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (True education BEGINS with the fear of God, but the God-free despise true knowledge.)

Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.”

Proverbs 2:6 “For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;”

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

James 3:13-18 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and SELF-SEEKING IN YOUR HEARTS (hints of the many “self-esteem” mantras taught in schools today?), do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, (such as competing for the best grades) confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

Psalm 119:97-101 “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me.”

2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ALL THESE THINGS (including a good education) shall be added to you.”

Children belong to God

Ezekiel “that you have slain MY CHILDREN and offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the fire?”

Jesus is asked if it is legal under Jewish law to pay taxes to Rome. Jesus asks to see the tax coin. Then he asks "Whose image is on this coin?"

Matthew 22:21 “They say unto him, ‘Caesar's.’ Then says He unto them, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” (Caesar’s image was carved on the tax money. Render the tax coin to Caesar. Our children are carved in the image of God. Give them to Him, not Caesar.)

"We can not continue to send our children to Rome for their education and be surprised when they come home Romans." - Bro Voddie Baucham

So, dear brother or sister whose children have left the faith, my heart bleeds for you. Please continue praying for your children to come to God. It's never too late.

But the promise of Proverbs 22:6 is to parents who follow the above scriptures. If you have raised/are raising your children the same way the world does, you WILL have worldly results. If, however you are making sure your children are taught the word of God throughout the day, that they are subject to Godly authorities, that they are raised the way God designed, you have the promise that they will choose to serve God.

All the Sunday Schools in the world can NOT override YOUR choice of how to raise them, of how to educate them. 

What is the Price of a Soul?