[TruthTalk] Christian Children

[Judy Taylor]

From: "Marlin Halverson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> All right.  A "child prodigy" must mean something to you that it does not mean in the field of education.  These  have obviously become "buzzwords" to describe something that you are seeing in the circles that I do not frequent.     jt: Have no idea what kinds of circles those would be Marlin. I'm just talking about what we've been discussing here on TT.    As for me, I have had the blessing of both teaching and learning from my children.  They know and love God.  They have personal relationships with the Father and His Son.  In some ways they can be smarter than I because they have gifts that I do not have.  For instance, I taught them music.  I cannot play piano, except slowly to plunk out parts and harmonies.  My children, on the other hand are gifted and they can move an audience in worship to God with their playing of the instrument.   jt: That is wonderful Marlin, I'm glad you enjoy your children so much. Still I hope you can agree with me that children must be taught and that this is the responsibility of parents and those in the body of Christ who are mature. They too must learn to "try the spirits to see if they are of God"  Just because a child comes up with something does not make it holy and pure because he/she is a child. Innocent children can be deceived just like anyone else and Jesus as a child was subject to his parents.   Your blanket stipulation would prevent Godly children from serving other brethren until they are age 30.  I go along with Paul's admonition to Timothy:  2TI 3:15    And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.....1TI 4:12    Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.   jt: Children are free to serve in many ways, just not in positions of authority and I don't see any indication that the Holy Spirit uses them in the distribution of spiritual gifts.  Timothy's mother and grandmother raised him to know God's Word but we need to remember that when Paul wrote these epistles he was pastoring a church at Ephesus so he was no longer a child.  he was a young man who was wiser than most because of his grounding in God's Word.   judyt         From: Judy Taylor   From: "Marlin Halverson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> jt: I've never stated that children could not be converted John, what I am saying is that child prophets and child prodigies are out of character for the ministry of God's Spirit in the Church.  Children are not responsible for their own spiritual life under Judaism until they are at least 13yrs old and even Jesus who had a full measure of God's Spirit did nothing publicly before the age of 30yrs.  When did things change?   marlin: No change at all.  Judaism is religion and tradition, not the word of God.    jt: I meant Israel and they were God's Old Covenant Church; they are the ones who preserved God's Word for our present generation and yes I was aware of Samuel but he is the exception; God was upset and not speaking to Eli.  Even so, we have no record that Samuel was a boy prodigy.  Did he become the prophet before he was of age that you know of?   The Word of God tells of Samuel long before Judaism developed.  There were other children inspired of God in the scripture, even from the womb. Joseph, Samson, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Jesus.   jt: OK Joseph had a dream and his brothers tried to kill him over it. Still he waited a long time and was sorely tested before it came to fruition.The parents of Samson, John the Baptist, and Jesus were warned ahead of  time that these children would serve God but none of them to my knowledge were sent out as a child prodigy.  Do you know of one who was?  Even in the passages below Samuel as a child did not know who was speaking to him.  Eli had to teach him.  judyt