Mom and Dad Did Why Can't I?

Mom and Dad Did, Why Can’t I?
Brian A. Yeager

Why the title of this article? We know that if you can get mom and dad, you get the kids too. How many Churches practice that? The Catholic Church tries their very best to get parents that are Catholic to “sign over” their children. The point is this, how many today practice religion, not because they found truth, but because mom and dad did. When I was a little boy, I tried to excuse some of the mischief I would do, by explaining that I saw you doing it mom. That excuse should stop when someone reaches an age of which they learn right from wrong. Yet, from the very beginning of creation we can see someone following against God with plain and blunt unfaithfulness simply because someone else did. (Genesis 3:9-12) “And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” How many out there are saying mom and dad are ___________, and that is why I am? How many are not saying that, maybe not even admitting it, but are living it? How many have “borrowed” mom and dad’s faith? This article is going to point out why we cannot “borrow faith”. Now, not to be mistaken, mom and dad can help us by teaching us the truth and living godly lives as a pattern for us. However, it is each and every Christian’s responsibility to have their own faith in God.

First, we acquire faith through only the word of God (Romans 10:14-17). There is no other way that the Bible reveals for us to find faith. Faith is defined in the Bible not as something we see, or can touch. (Hebrews 11:1) “ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” We cannot depend on anything but faith. God tells us that we must walk by faith, not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7). Now ask yourself this question: Have I acquired this faith, the way the Bible tells me to?

Secondly, we as a people like tradition and family customs. I remember being a child in a non-Christian home and during the December month we would think about Christ and his birth. Why did we do this? We never attempted to live godly lives. It seemed as though the only times of year we would think of Christ were Christmas and Easter. We were CEO (Christmas and Easter Only) Christians. I did this even in my teenage years. It was not until I was shown the way of the Lord through the teaching of the Gospel that I realized this practice was wrong. I realized that we need to remember Christ on every first day of the week (Acts 20:7). That it was his death that we were to remember (I Corinthians 11: 23-26). How did I realize this truth? Searching the scriptures, as did the noble Bereans (Acts 17:10-11).

If your mom and dad decided to take a dive from a very high bridge, would you follow? I bet, that most readers of this article have been asked a question similar to that but instead of following mom and dad it was a friend or as they may have seen them a bad influence. Christ tells us not to love father or mother more than He (Matthew 10:37). Why do you think Christ made that statement? If you will read the context you will find that your enemies, if you become a follower of Christ, may be very well those of your own house (Matthew 10:36). Christ did not come to make everything OK. He came to deliver a world to salvation (Romans 5:6 and John 3:16). To be saved you have to make your own choices. Again, repeating how faith it acquired (Romans 10:17), not by mom and dad, brother and sister, and so on.

In conclusion, if you think you are going to make God happy on borrowed faith, the day of judgment is going to be a cruel awakening for you (II Thessalonians 1:8-9). We must have faith (but not faith alone James 2:19-26) and thus a summary verse for this article. (Hebrews 11:6) “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Mom and dad did, why can’t I? Because, God said not to!

If you have found yourself guilty of the mom and dad syndrome, as yourself the next question and see what the Bible teaches you on that subject. What must you do to become a Christian? (Romans 10:14-17, John 8:24, Acts 2:38, Matthew 10:32-33, Acts 22:16 / I Corinthians 12:12-13). What must you do after that (Revelation 2:10). Contact a faithful member of the Church of Christ for a Bible study today.

Top of Page