Train Up

Grade 6: Sex and Purity

Goal: Your student should understand Christian sexual ethics. Encourage your student to participate in a pledge of purity.

Your student needs to know what the Bible says about sex. Sex is a great thing! After all God created us and designed us for sex. However, culture pushes extremely different views about sex on tweens and teens. Basically, culture says do whatever sexually pleases you with whoever you would like, whenever you want. But God’s Word describes sex as the most intimate connection reserved only between a husband and wife who have made a lifetime commitment to one another. That’s a much different picture than what our culture is trying to paint!

Before we begin to think about what is important for you to communicate to your son or daughter about sex and sexual purity, remember these things. They are learning about sex and or the things involved in sexual promiscuity in a number of different ways. They are seeing and hearing about it every day in the various forms of media and social media that they use. They are hearing comments, jokes, conversations, etc. at school or during the extracurricular activities that they are involved in. Besides that, they are just curious kids and they want to know more. So know that most likely they know more than what you think they know, but they are just not sure if this is a ‘safe’ topic to bring up or not.

Our desire is that you begin this conversation by building a strong foundation of truth about sex and purity before they begin picking up what culture or what others tell them. With that said, you know your child best and can decide if now or in six months or a year is the appropriate time to start talking about sex and sexual purity. Just don’t wait too late.

Let’s face it, this topic can be a little awkward to talk about both for you and your child. But the best way to address it is just to talk openly and straight forward about it. Don’t be embarrassed to talk about it or come up with code names for body parts. The better you handle the discussion and the better they will. Make sure to keep the lines of communication open. It may take several conversations over a period of time as they process things. So make sure they know that you are there for them and want to be the one they talk to and that you are approachable anytime about this topic.

We are going to assume that if you have sixth grade kids and are reading this that you are capable of teaching your kids about the parts of the body and how sex works. You know the typical “birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees” conversation! However, our focus is that you approach that conversation from a biblical perspective. So here are several biblical principles to help guide your conversation.

Again, sex is a great thing! When God created man on day six, we were the pinnacle of His creation. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26a) He goes on to explain that He gave man dominion over the earth, and all the animals He created. God further explains that He intentionally created us male and female (Gen. 1:27). So He created our bodies to be different and gave us specific uses for those differences.

God continues in the next verse (Gen. 1:28) by telling us to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” Sex is God’s designed method for procreation and populating the earth. So God created us as sexual beings and created us to populate the earth to which we are also called to subdue it and have dominion over it.

Chapter two of Genesis goes into more detail about how God formed man and breathed the breath of life into him and how He created woman from the rib of man. Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Gen. 2:18). Then a few verses later we see God describe what the covenant of marriage looks like. Marriage is between one man and one woman. They leave their parents and hold tightly to their new spouse. They have become one flesh under their new marriage union or covenant (Gen. 2:24).

Next, God designs sex to be enjoyed only by married couples. Hebrews 13:4 says: “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Here God clearly states that we should not be involved sexually with anyone that we are not married to. This includes any sexual activity before marriage (fornication) or any sexual activity with someone other than our spouse during marriage (adultery). Sex is reserved only for your lifelong spouse.

God sets boundaries for sexual purity to protect us. These boundaries are helpful because it could be 10 to 15 years or longer from when your son or daughter learns about sex until they walk down the aisle. That’s assuming that they get married. Paul gives us a couple of reasons why we need to pursue sexual purity and run from sexual immorality. First Corinthians chapter six lays out a few of these reasons. First, Paul explains that our bodies are meant to honor God, not just pursue personal pleasure (1 Cor. 6:13). In fact, as believers in Jesus Christ, our bodies are a temple or home for the Holy Spirit that resides within us (1 Cor. 6:19). We want to flee sexual immorality or adultery because that is sin against God and grieves the Holy Spirit that is guiding us.

Likewise, Paul makes a connection of the one flesh relationship that God used to define marriage in Genesis. He also warns against us making that one flesh relationship (the act of sex) with anyone outside of marriage. He explains that that type of personal connection or physical relationship with someone outside of marriage is contradictory to the way a believer is to live (1 Cor. 6:15-17). Additionally, he seems to place a higher weight on sexual sin since it occurs inside our body, as opposed to outside our body (1 Cor. 6:18). All sin is equal and all sin carries consequences. But often times the ramifications and consequences of sexual sin can have dramatic physical, emotional, and spiritual effects for the rest of your life. Such things like sexual transmitted diseases (STD’s), sexual disorders, physical disabilities, guilt, fear, shame, pregnancy, and the list goes on.

Paul’s final point from First Corinthians is that the debt from our sinful nature has been paid for by Jesus Christ on the cross (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Therefore, we are not our own or we are no longer in charge. So then, we need to live in a way that brings glory to God through living lives of sexual purity. Paul makes a similar point to the church in Ephesus. “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people” (Eph. 5:3). And Paul makes the same point to the church in Thessalonica. “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7). Living lives of sexual purity is important to God.

As you have this conversation with your son or daughter, explain why saving yourself sexually for your future spouse is a special gift. That it is God’s plan for our life. ‘Don’t do it’, ‘sex is a bad thing’, ‘yuck’, or ‘gross’ are not good answers to their questions. Avoiding the conversation is not a good solution either. Instead, talk about sex and sexual purity openly, honestly, and biblically. In the years to come, this will lead to more conversations regarding dating, boundaries, sex, sexual purity, lust, self-pleasure, and so on. God’s Word is full of truth regarding these areas (For example: Col. 3:5; Job 31:1; Matt. 5:28; 1 Tim. 4:12).

Resources:

Some of these resources will be good for the parents to read, others for the student to read at some point. There is a plethora of material on sexual purity, dating, and so on. Here are a few:

Every Young Man’s Battle: Strategies for Victory in the Real World of Sexual Temptation. By Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker.

God on Sex: The Creator’s Ideas About Love, Intimacy and Marriage. By Daniel Akin

True Love Waits Material.

True Love Project: 40 Days of Purity for Guys. By Clayton King

Pure Joy: God’s Formula for Passionate Living. By Matt Tullos, Paul Turner, and Kristi Cherry.

Love, Dating, … and Other Insanities: Relationships Without Regret. By Clayton King and Stephen Furtick

Grade 7: A Life on Mission

Goal: Your student should develop life on mission by learning to share his faith, discovering his spiritual gifts and interests, and engaging in mission projects in his neighborhood and community.

Jesus commanded us to live on mission in Matthew 28:18-20. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” When Jesus gave us these words, He wasn’t making a mere suggestion, or giving us a choice, but commanding us to live life on mission for Him. As a Christ follower, we are called to use our God given gifts for the building up of His kingdom.

Living a life on mission for God is living out each day for His glory. The Great Commission is not only for Pastors, Missionaries, Evangelists, or even adults, but for every Christ follower, students included. It is not limited to a trip each year, or an occasional service project, or serving in our church. Each of those is a great way to help in and of themselves. But, “life on mission is about intersecting gospel intentionality into our everyday routines.”1

In order to be equipped for living a life on mission, your student needs to know:

1. How to share their faith with the people that they interact with on a daily basis.

• Sharing your story of how you came to faith in God is a powerful testimony for others to hear. Your story is really made up of three parts, your life before Christ, how you came to trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and how your life is different now as a Christ follower. With practice, you should be prepared to share your story in as few as 2 minutes or as long as 10 minutes, depending on the situation and circumstances.
• Parents, share your testimony or faith story with your student. This will help to encourage them to tell others how they came to faith in Jesus Christ. They will broaden this during their 8th grade year while they’re researching their spiritual history.

2. How God has best suited them for His service by discovering their spiritual giftedness and matching that with the interest and skill sets that God has given them.

• Have your student take a spiritual gifts assessment. You can access one spiritual gifts assessment on our church website at: https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?id=501114.
• Another way is simply by taking the hobbies, abilities, passions, and interests of your student and using those things that they like to do as ways to be intentional with spreading the gospel around them. For example, they could use their ability to paint, by helping an elderly neighbor paint their storage shed. Or they could use their love of baking to make cookies for the men and women who serve Coffee County as police officers and fire fighters.

3. How they can intentionally serve and love the people around them from the streets they live on, to the hallways of the school, to the extracurricular activities they are involved with, to the people they work with, and so on.

• The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) describes this ‘as you are going’ mentality. While you are at school, encourage your student to be others focused so that they will stop and help the hurting student in their Algebra class, to the student being bullied in the cafeteria, to their teammate who has gotten into some trouble, to a co-worker whose house was just destroyed by a fire. Daily, we can look for ways to the hands and feet of Jesus.
• Help your student come up with proactive ways that they can serve others with the love of Christ. It might be ways they serve others alone, or it could be ways you serve as a family. The point is to live intentionally and with the mindset to share and to serve.

You will notice that these three ways to be equipped are interrelated. It’s helpful to be comfortable sharing your faith story so that when the opportunity arises you are prepared to tell others how Jesus has changed your life. There is no better opportunity than when you are in the midst of serving others and using the gifts God has given you to expand His kingdom.

Below are some resources that will help you to be better equipped to live a life on mission!

Books:

• Life on Mission: Joining the Everyday Mission of God by Dustin Willis and Aaron Coe

• Share Jesus Without Fear by William Fay

• Becoming a Contagious Christian by Mark Mittelberg, Lee Stobel, and Bill Hybels

• One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven by Mark Cahill

• How to Give Away Your Fatih by Paul Little

Web/Apps:

• 3 Circles: Life Conversation Guide at www.sendnetwork.com

• More Life App

• The Gospel App thru www.KnowTheGospel.org

• The Story at www.ViewTheStory.com

Grade 8: My Spiritual History

Goal: Your student should learn his family’s spiritual history, including the background or testimonies of parents and grandparents. Your student should learn his nation’s spiritual history.
Your student needs to know his spiritual roots. If your family has a history of Christian belief and church involvement, this will help him appreciate his heritage. If your family does not have a history of Christianity or church involvement, this will still help him understand the influences that caused you to become a Christian parent.
This year encourage your student to interview each member of his direct family life, even if some of them are not believers in Christ. This includes parents, grandparents (if living), and great-grandparents (if living). Print the form below and make as many copies as needed. If your student does not have any living relatives, he could interview you about any knowledge you have of their spiritual history.

After he has completed the interviews, ask him to report to you about what he learned and what he found surprising or unusual.

Share this passage with him and ask him what he thinks it means:
What we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us,
We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power and the wonders he has done.
He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children,
so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.
Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds
but keep his commands (Psalm 78:3-7)

Spiritual History Interview Form

Grade 9: Christian Manhood and Womanhood

Goal: Your son should learn to be courageous, to be a man of honor, and to treat women with respect. Your daughter should learn to be a woman of honor, a person of true beauty and modesty, and learn how to relate to men.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27).

Our culture is increasingly blurring the God-created distinctions between male and female. Some places are creating unisex restrooms. A school district in Nebraska no longer allows teachers to call students “boys and girls.” The LGBTQ agenda includes an emphasis on homosexuality, bisexuality, and transgender roles. We must teach our sons and daughters that gender is a sovereign gift of God that reflects his image. We must teach them what a Christian man and a woman is supposed to be.

For Parents of a Young Man

• Fathers should teach their sons what it means to be a man. If you are a single mother raising a boy, ask a relative (Christian grandfather, uncle, or cousin) to help. Or, ask a high school Sunday School teacher or other godly man in the church to help.

• The first step is for dad to read the book, Raising a Modern Day Knight by Robert Lewis. The book is available in our bookstore and library. Much of the following material comes from this book.

• Teach your son a definition of what it means to be a man. Here is a suggested definition:

1. A real man follows Jesus Christ. He is willing to stand up for Christ.

2. A real man accepts responsibility for his actions.

3. A real man lives with honor. His word is dependable. He is honest.

4. A real man leads with courage. He is not passive or fearful.

5. A real man treats women with respect.

Teach this definition by example, by stories from your own experience, and by talking about wrong definitions of what it means to be a man (sexual conquest, fighting, taking your first drink or smoke).

• Plan a ceremony to celebrate your son moving to manhood. His sixteenth birthday is a good time to do this. Plan a celebration meal or weekend that includes his favorite activity. Include other Christian men that will affirm and challenge him. Make him feel like a man.

Give him a gift that signifies his move toward manhood.

Resources for Christian Manhood:

Raising a Modern Day Knight: http://www.rmdk.com/

Men’s Fraternity: http://www.mensfraternity.com/

Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: http://cbmw.org/

For Parents of a Young Woman

• Parents are encouraged to read the book, Raising a Modern-Day Princess by Pam Farrel and Doreen Hanna. This book is available in our bookstore.

• Teach your daughter what it means to be a Christian woman, including honor, gentleness, purity, modesty, and the nature of true beauty (1 Peter 3:3-4)

• Plan a rite of passage ceremony for your daughter as she is becoming a woman. Include a blessing by her dad. (An outline for how to do a blessing is in Raising a Modern-Day Princess, p. 238).

Resources for Christian Womanhood:

http://moderndayprincess.net/

Becoming a Young Woman of God by Jen Rawson (This is a study for middle school girls, but some content is applicable to high school girls)

Guys are Like Waffles, Girls Are Like Spaghetti, by Chad Eastman and Bill and Pam Farrel

Grade 10: A Christian Worldview

Goal: Your student should learn the basics of a Christian worldview. Your student should be able to identify the eight major areas of Christian doctrine.

A Christian Worldview

A worldview is how you look at the world. Everyone has one, whether they know that word or not. A worldview is the framework of ideas by which you live your life. For example, if you have an evolutionary worldview, you are likely to conclude that life is meaningless. If you have a materialistic worldview, you believe that material things are all that exist, and you have no place for the spiritual. In the past, most people in our country inherited a Christian or biblical worldview even if they were not Christians. They still tended to believe in a framework of absolute truth and right or wrong. That is changing. Many people have a “postmodern” worldview in which truth is relative and what is right for you might not be right for me.

Basic elements of a Christian worldview include:

• God exists. Thus, there is absolute truth.
• God is righteous and loving. Thus, there are absolute values in our world. Some things are right and some things are wrong.
• God created our world and is guiding it. Thus, our world has meaning and purpose.
• Human beings are the greatest of God’s creation. Thus, human life is of great value and worth.

Here are some good resources to help your student develop a Christian worldview:

Focus on the Family: What is a Christian worldview?

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/christian_worldview/whats_a_christian_worldview.aspx

Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry: Essentials of a Christian worldview:

http://carm.org/what-are-some-christian-worldview-essentials

Chuck Colson Center for a Christian Worldview: Introduction to the Christian worldview:

http://www.colsoncenter.org/the-center/columns/indepth/14281-introduction-to-the-christian-worldview

A great resource is the video series The Truth Project by Del Tackett. We have this series of 14 videos in our church library. We recommend your student watch these videos this year.

The Eight Major Areas of Christian Doctrine

What Christians believe can be summarized in eight major areas. The goal is for your student to be able to list these eight doctrines and summarize them in his own words.

• Revelation

• God

• Humanity and Sin

• Jesus

• Salvation

• The Holy Spirit

• The Church

• Last Things

Revelation

God has revealed himself to humans. We can know God because he has chosen to reveal himself. This revelation falls into two categories.

General revelation is the revelation of God available to all people everywhere. God has revealed himself through creation. (Psalm 19:1-4; Acts 14:17; Romans 1:19-20). The beauty and design of creation reveal a God who is powerful, beautiful, and creative. God has also revealed himself through the human conscience (Romans 2:14-15). We have a sense of right and wrong in our lives that reflects a moral God. This general revelation is only partial revelation about God.

Special revelation is the specific work of God to reveal himself in human history. God has revealed himself uniquely through the nation of Israel (Genesis 12:1; Psalm 103:7). God chose to interact with this group of people out of all the nations of the world in order to specifically reveal his purposes in the world. God has finally and fully revealed himself through his son Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-3; Colossians 1:19; John 14:8). Jesus was an Israelite, but he was more than a human being. He is the exact image of God on earth. We get our fullest picture of God in Jesus. The Bible is the written record of God’s special revelation to humanity. The Old Testament records his revelation through Israel. The New Testament records his revelation in Jesus. The Bible is the inspired word of God (2 Peter 1:19-21). The Bible is reliable and infallible (Matthew 24:35). The Bible is the authority for what we believe and how we should live (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

God

There is only one true living God (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). Yet, Christians believe God is Trinity—three persons in one God. The three persons of the Trinity are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe this mystery because the Bible clearly says there is only one God, yet the Bible identifies each of these three persons as God. The three are often mentioned together in the Bible in equal terms (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). We do not believe these three are just different names or expressions of the same God, because the three persons interact, such as at the baptism of Jesus when the Father spoke from heaven and the Spirit descended in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:16-17). The Trinity is important because it shows us that God is relational and it models how we are to relate to others in community.

God has revealed his nature to us in the Bible. God is omnipotent or all-powerful (Genesis 17:1). He is omniscient or all-knowing (Psalm 139:6). God is omnipresent or present everywhere (Psalm139:7-16). God is eternal (Psalm 90:2). God is unchanging (Psalm 102:27). God is spirit (John 4:24). God is holy (Leviticus 20:26). God is love (1 John 4:8). God is righteous (Romans 3:26). God is the creator of everything (Genesis 1:1).

Humanity and Sin

Human beings are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Thus, every human life is valuable and precious. God created us male and female (Genesis 1:27). Thus, gender identity is a part of God’s design for us. God gave us the ability and responsibility to make choices (Genesis 2:15-17). We are accountable for the choices we make in life.

Human beings are sinful. Sin is universal (Romans 3:9-23). That is, we are all sinners. Sin does not erase the image of God, but it means we are flawed. Sin originated with the temptation of Satan and human choice at the time of the fall (Genesis 3:1-6). Sin has horrible consequences. It brings separation from God (Genesis 3:8), suffering (Genesis 3:17-19), bondage (John 8:34), guilt (James 2:10), and death (Romans 5:12).

Both of these things are true of humans: 1) We are created in the image of God and are valuable. 2) We are sinners and are guilty. We must not lose sight of either of these truths.

Jesus Christ

Jesus existed eternally in heaven before he came to earth (John 1:1-3). Jesus came to earth as God in human flesh to bring us redemption (John 1:14; Luke 19:10). Jesus was and is fully God (John 14:9). Jesus was fully human (Matthew 4:2). Jesus was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:20). Jesus lived a sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus performed miraculous signs that testified to his identity (John 2:11). Jesus died on a cross for the sins of humanity (1 Peter 3:18). Jesus rose from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-6). Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9). Jesus now reigns in heaven, seated at the right hand of God (Ephesians 1:20). Jesus will one day return to earth from heaven (Acts 1:10-11).

Salvation

The basis of salvation is the atonement, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Christ became the sacrifice for our sin on the cross (Ephesians 5:2), dying in our place (Romans 5:8). His death turned away the wrath of God (Romans 3:25), freed us from the bondage to sin (1 Peter 1:18-21), and gave us a new relationship to God and other people (Ephesians 2:14-18).

Salvation begins with God’s initiative. He extends his grace to us (Ephesians 2:4-8) and draws us to himself (John 6:44). Salvation is a gift of God (Romans 6:23).

Salvation is received by repenting of sin (Acts 2:38), believing in Jesus (Acts 16:31), and confessing him as Lord of one’s life (Romans 10:9-10). This is called conversion (Matthew 18:1-4) or being born again (John 3:3). At conversion, one is justified or made right with God (Galatians 2:15-17).

The work of salvation continues in a Christian’s life through sanctification or growth, which happens through God’s word (John 17:17-19). Salvation is completed at our final glorification when we become like Jesus (Romans 8:30; 13:11).

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is personal and divine. He is the third person of the Trinity (2 Corinthians 13:14). He was active in creation (Genesis 1:2). He inspired the writing of the Bible (2 Peter 1:20-21).

The Holy Spirit brings about salvation (1 Corinthians 12:13). He convicts of sin (John 16:8), brings about the new birth (John 3:5), gives assurance of salvation (Romans 8:14-17), and seals the believer until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14).

The Holy Spirit fills and empowers believers (Ephesians 5:18). He produces his fruit in the lives of believers (Galatians 5:22-23), encourages the believer (John 16:6), and gives boldness for witnessing (Acts 1:8).

The Holy Spirit enlivens the church (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). He gives gifts to the church for ministry (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) and calls the church to missions (Acts 13:2).

The Church

The church is the community of believers founded by Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:15-19). The church is both the universal fellowship of believers (Hebrews 12:23) and the local congregation (1 Corinthians 1:2). The purpose of the church is to reveal the wisdom of God’s plan through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:10-11). The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19) by proclaiming the gospel (Acts 1:8), worshipping God in joyful fellowship (Acts 2:42-47), teaching sound doctrine to equip Christians (Matthew 28:20), and ministering to needs in the name of Jesus (Galatians 6:10).

The two ordinances of the church are baptism (Romans 6:1-4) and the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Last Things

The kingdom of God has already come to the hearts of those who believe in Jesus (Luke 11:20). The kingdom will one day come in fullness (Mark 14;25). We live in the last days, the time between the first and second coming of Jesus (Acts 2:16-17).

Every person (except the generation alive when Christ returns) will experience death (Hebrews 9:27). Death is the separation of body and spirit (Mark 15:27).

The Christian has hope of life after death. When he dies, the spirit of a believer immediately leaves his body and goes to be with Christ (Luke 23:43).

Jesus Christ will return to earth one day (Acts 1:11). He will bring with him the spirits of dead believers and raise the bodies of dead believers (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Believers who are alive will be immediately transformed. At his return Jesus will defeat evil (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12) and judge the world (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15). Those who are saved will spend eternity in heaven (Revelation 21-22), and those who are lost will spend eternity in hell (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Revelation 20:10).

Resource: Introducing Christian Doctrine by Millard J. Erickson.

Grade 11:

Different Denominations and Religions

Goal: Your student should learn the basic differences between Christianity and other religions. Your student should visit churches of other denominations and report to you on their distinctives.

Can’t the different religions all be different paths to the same God?

No. The different religions make contradictory claims. For example, Christianity says there is one true living God. Buddhism says there is no god. Hinduism says there are many gods. Any one of these statements could be true, but they cannot all be true. Jesus claimed to be the only way to God. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Acts 4:12 says, “There is no other name under heaven through which men must be saved.”

How does Christianity differ from the other world religions?

1. The Bible is unique. Most other religions have sacred writings. The Bible is unique in that it records the interaction of God within human history. It is not just a collection of teachings, but the story of God revealing himself through Israel. Thus, the Bible makes historical statements which can be tested to see if they are true. The Bible also makes prophecies. The amazing accuracy of its prophecies is evidence to its reliability and inspiration. For example, Jeremiah predicted that the city of Babylon would be destroyed and never rebuilt or inhabited again (Jeremiah 50:39). That prophecy has held true for 2600 years. The Bible accurately predicted the birthplace (Micah 5:2), rejection (Isaiah 53), death (Psalm 22), and resurrection (Psalm 16) of Jesus.

2. Jesus is unique. Some other religions have a savior figure, but Jesus is unique in that he claimed to be God in human flesh. We call this the incarnation. Because he was fully God and fully man, he could identify with us and bear the punishment for our sin in his death on the cross. No other savior figure could die in our place. Jesus then rose from the dead and ascended back into heaven. The resurrection is the heart of the Christian faith. There is excellent evidence that it is a historical event.

3. The Gospel is unique. Other religions are based on human works. They describe what humans must do to appease the deity. These works may include repeated prayers, offerings, sacrifices, pilgrimages and other acts to earn the favor of god. Christianity is based on grace. The gospel says that God freely gives us the salvation we can never earn. God can do this because Jesus has done the work of atonement for us. We must simply receive the gift of salvation by repentance and faith in Jesus. All other religions are based on what we must do. Christianity is based on what God has done in Christ. Because of this, we have a unique assurance of salvation based not on our goodness but on God’s grace.

Resources for understanding the difference in religions

http://www.everystudent.com/features/connecting.html

Why are there different denominations?

The different denominations reflect differences in beliefs, styles of worship, and traditions. All Christian denominations believe in the Trinity. All Christian denominations believe in the death of Jesus on the cross for our sins and the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Christian denominations differ on issues such as the method of church government, the method of baptism, and the gift of speaking in tongues.

Today there are three major branches of Christianity—Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestants. In 1050 AD Christianity split between east and west, creating the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox branches of Christianity. The split was over issues such as clerical celibacy and the use of icons in worship. In 1517, a Catholic monk named Martin Luther called for reform in the church. Catholicism did not accept Luther’s reforms, and this led to the creation of Protestant denominations such as Lutherans. Baptists were born in England in the 1600s and Methodists in the 1700s. Churches of Christ and Churches of God began much later in the United States. Today denominations are losing their importance and non-denominational churches are growing. This is both good and bad. It is good that we may be coming together. It is bad that we do not care as much about doctrine any more.

Why do we consider Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses to be cults?

We cannot consider these two groups to be Christian denominations because they have different beliefs about the central doctrines of Christianity—who Jesus is and how we are saved. Mormons do not believe the Bible is the only revelation of God. They add the Book of Mormon. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe Jesus is God. Both groups tend to emphasize works as a component of salvation. To say it another way, we differ with Methodists on doctrines that are important but not essential—the method of baptism and church government. We differ with Mormons and Jehovah’s witnesses on doctrines that are essential—who is Jesus and how are we saved.

Some Differences between Protestant Denominations:

Download: Chart

Objectives for This Year

• Talk to your student about the differences between the major religions. Can he or she explain them in his or her own words?
• Ask your student if he or she would like to visit churches of up to four different denominations. If he is not interested in this, do not insist. This will help some students as they get ready to move away from home soon. Do not encourage your student to visit cults or non-Christian religions. You may choose to go with him or allow him to go with friends. After the visits, talk to him about the differences he observed. Were there things he did not understand? What were the similarities?

Grade 12:

Transition to Adulthood and Independence

Goal: Your student should master basic life skills, learn to develop and follow a budget, and explore vocation and calling. Your student should demonstrate independence and responsibility in spiritual disciplines, calendaring and scheduling, and money management.

Your work of parenting is nearing completion. This can be a scary time for parents. You wonder, “Have I done enough to prepare my child for college or career? “ Trust your child to God. Begin to transition more and more responsibility and independence to your child.

Master Basic Life Skills

• Your student should be able to set his own alarm clock and get himself off to school and other appointments on time. You should no longer be rousing your student out of bed or reminding him of appointments.

• Your student should have his own calendar and schedule his events and appointments.

• Your student should be able to do his own laundry.

• Your student should be able to prepare simple meals.

• Your student should be doing some of his own shopping.

• Your student should be competent in caring for a vehicle and scheduling or performing basic maintenance.

Develop and Follow a Budget

Your student should develop and follow a written budget that accounts for every dollar of his or her income (allowance, money from jobs, and any other income). The budget should list all income and all expenses which the student has.

Develop a Life Purpose

Challenge your student to develop a personal statement of life purpose.

Questionnaire For High School Seniors