Building faith in our young ones is so important! In their younger years, we spend a lot of time teaching them Bible stories and helping them understand the fundamentals of the gospel, such as what sin is and why we need a Savior.
But there are also many principles that are important for us to teach them. These go beyond the ABCs of the gospel and teach them how to begin going deeper in their faith, even as children. These principles will build a hunger in them to continue to pursue Jesus long after the “mom and dad told me so” syndrome of childhood faith teachings wears off, and they come into their own.
Let’s examine some of these faith principles, which are critical to teach your young ones alongside the Bible stories and the salvation message.
1. Fruits of the Spirit
We live in a culture now that is touting some of these as catchphrases and hashtags. #BeKind #ShowLove—But words matter, and so do their definitions. For example, kindness doesn’t mean inclusiveness of sinful things, but it also doesn’t mean cruelty toward those who practice sin (especially since we are sinners too). Love—especially loving like Jesus—also doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to issues in order to avoid offense. Sometimes, love means offending in order to save. Of course, these are big thoughts for little people. So, how do we teach the fruits of the spirit as Christ means them?
Take time to look at each word and what it means and then begin to teach your young ones the basics of putting them into practice. Self-control is very different from culture’s self-entitlement. Goodness and kindness are not the same thing. Patience isn’t a sign of weakness nor an invitation to accept abuse. By teaching our children these principles and their proper definitions at a young age, they will grow into the depths of their meaning and application as they mature.
2. Grace and Mercy
2. Grace and Mercy
We hear these words so often growing up with a Christian worldview that often, they almost become interchangeable. But they’re not! In fact, they mean two very different things, and it’s wise to teach our kids the differences.
A simple way to teach them this is:
Grace is God giving us what we DON’T deserve.
Mercy is God NOT giving us what we DO deserve.
Maybe it’s not grammatically perfect, but it’s easy for kids to remember and a good distinction for them to make. Once they know the difference, those words take on a deeper significance as they grow in their faith.
3. Don’t Be Afraid
3. Don’t Be Afraid
This one is key for the littles. So often, we tell them they don’t have to be afraid or that there’s no reason to be fearful because God has promised to take care of us. But then, through the interpretation of a child’s eyes, calamity still falls, people still cry, monsters are still scary, and bad things do happen. So, isn’t the entire concept of “do not be afraid” a bit of a sham? Kids see right through that. Or, at least, they think they do.
This is a principle that is critical in teaching young ones. “Don’t be afraid” is more than a promise that everything will be all right. It is a promise that God will provide for our needs and that He is still good, even when things are frightening or not working out well. “Don’t be afraid” is a process of learning that we can trust God to work out all things together for our good according to His purpose. That means that while we don’t understand, the darkness doesn’t go away, or monsters still seem to hide in the closet, nothing is out of control.
Take the time to teach your child that not being afraid means trusting God no matter what you see or experience. That can be reinforced by so many Bible stories as you teach them how God walked Moses through the Red Sea or Noah through a flood. Those were traumatic events with terrifying implications. The fear didn’t just go away, and Moses didn’t necessarily walk through the Red Nile with a grin (maybe he did, but I have a hard time imagining that!). Fear is real. Faith is the conqueror.
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4. The Attributes of God
4. The Attributes of God
Learning big words at a young age can be fun if they’re defined and explained. They also help children to learn who God is and who they are in light of that. Some attributes that are important to teach them are ones like omniscience. Omnipresence. Omnipotence. The little ones have a lot of fun trying to pronounce those words, but even more fun is helping them understand what they mean!
Do you know?
Omniscience: All-Knowing
Omnipresence: Everywhere at All Times
Omnipotence: All Powerful
Those words bring back the lyrics to the children’s song, “My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do.” Don’t they?
5. God's Authority
5. God's Authority
A good follow-up to God’s attributes is to then teach your children about God’s authority. Because love and grace are such popular concepts in terms of off-putting unworthiness and shame, it sometimes can make God so accepting and so forgiving that He loses His authority in the process—figuratively speaking, of course.
While we don’t want to paint God as the judgmental Lord focused on our sins and the consequences, we do need to make sure our children learn a healthy and fearful respect for the authority of God. He is, after all, God. He is the Creator. All things were made by Him; through Him, all things continue to live and thrive. But He also holds sinners to the standard He has set—and we fall remarkably short. Enter the truth of salvation, yes, but the freedom we find in submitting to Christ comes with also recognizing the authority and Lordship of God in our lives.
This can be taught to children through our examples as parents. It can be taught to them by modeling respect for our earthly authorities and by reinforcing the same behaviors from them. Authority is a concept that has become convoluted and watered-down with the generations. Self-entitlement and self-empowerment have risen. While speaking up for themselves, grown children often overstep authority and assume they are their own ultimate authority. This can and will likely affect their perception of God. The minute we begin fostering a lack of respect for authority in our children is the minute God is diminished to a negotiable Being.
Teaching our children the lessons of faith is no small task. That’s why it’s so important to begin while they’re young. Seek out Scripture and Bible stories to support your teaching. Show your children these faith principles by your actions. As they grow and these principles become more real and vibrant to them, the more we hope they will seek to understand their Lord.
He is more than a Bible story and way to be saved from our sins. He is a relationship and a way of life. He is the way of life. Teach your children well.
Originally published February 21, 2025.
