Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible omits any reference to children needing to be converted in the section entitled: "Raising children in the Lord"

In the 'Christian Living Section' of 'The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible', there is an article entitled: "Raising Children in the Lord".

This article outlines five "means" which Christian parents are to employ in raising children in the Lord. There is first a reference to praying for children. This is expanded to mean labouring to bring our children to Jesus so that He might bless them. Matthew 19:13-15* is included as a reference at this point. [*see below]

Subsequent "means" of raising children are outlined as: teaching the Bible to your children, disciplining them in love, offering wise counsel, and lastly, living as a godly example before them.

There is something seriously, and sadly, lacking in this section on "Raising Children in the Lord". There is no clear and obvious mention of the children, of believers, needing to be evangelised and converted to Christ. What is the aim in praying, teaching, disciplining, counselling and setting a godly example before our children? It is that they might be converted to Christ and that at an early age.

It needs to be clearly, and unequivocally, stated that all children, even the children of believers, are in need of being converted to Christ. They too are born sinful and stand in need of God's grace in conversion. However, you would never have come to this conclusion from reading this article in 'The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible' on "Raising Children in the Lord".

There is a very important reason why this needs to be clearly, and unequivocally stated. There are those in the Reformed camp who do not believe that the children of believers stand in need of being evangelised and converted to Christ, as they grow up. They will not, therefore, pray for their children's conversion, nor ever teach them that they stand in great need of being converted. According to them their children are already believers, and it is 'nurture that their children need and not conversion'.

This article on "Raising Children in the Lord", sadly, does not oppose this serious error. Rather this article accommodates, and allows, for this gross error to be held. This article is general, and evasive, on this most important issue. It is all things to all men!

No doubt, those who believe in children needing to be evangelised and converted will argue that this is included in praying for children. However, it is only included if you believe that children need to be evangelised and converted in the first place. What is lacking is a specific statement that children, even those of believers, need to be converted.

Those who don't believe in children needing to be converted, and only needing nurture, will be able to go along with all that is being said in this article on "Raising Children in the Lord". They will indeed pray that the Lord might bless their children. What they won't pray is for their conversion. This article  is so evasive and non-committal that it accommodates this grievous error! It is hoped that this is by oversight and not design! If it is by design then it is wrong!

This evasiveness, on the issue of children needing to be converted, is connected to a previous post on this Blog. See here - The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible employs a 'somewhat vague' and 'confusing' definition of the doctrine of 'Regeneration'. Why?

Those parents, in the Reformed camp, who do not subscribe to the idea that we should be praying for the conversion of the children of believers, assert that their children are regenerated in the womb and grow into conversion by way of nurture. They are regenerated already when they are born. Therefore, they purposely never pray for their conversion. To them it is anathema to do so!

Sadly The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible indulges this serious error! Parents beware! Pray, labour and live for the conversion of your children. Our children are the only thing that we can take to heaven with us!

Questions needing to be addressed:
1. Does the writer of this article believe that children, including those of believers, need to be evangelised and converted?
2. If the answer is Yes, then, why not state this clearly in the article? Especially when it is widely known that there are those in the Reformed camp who refuse to accept this. After all the salvation of our children is the most important issue after our own salvation.
3. If the writer does not accept that the children of believers need to be converted, then why should he/she be allowed to write an article like this in 'The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible' that is so evasive and accommodating of error?


*Those in the Reformed camp who do not believe that their children need to be evangelised, and converted, frequently quote Matthew 19:13-15. They argue that the children whom Christ blessed were infants, who had not yet reached the age of understanding, and that the blessing granted by the Lord to these children was salvation. From this they construct an argument that children can experience salvation before they come to the age of understanding.