Issues: Marriage |
Why Have Children? |
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| Children are seen as a blessing from God. Christians believe that when God made the world, he did not want it to be empty (The Bible, Isaiah chapter 45 verse 18). In Genesis chapter 1 verse 28 of the Bible, Adam and Eve, the first humans, are commanded by God to, "Multiply and fill the earth" (NLT), so having children is part of God's plan.
Christians believe that God creates all living things, including babies. The Relationship Between Parents and Children In the Ten Commandments (The Bible, Exodus chapter 20 verse 12), children are told to honour their parents. This commandment is repeated in the New Testament of the Bible, where children are told to obey their parents (Ephesians chapter 6 verses 1 - 4 ). | |
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Fathers are told:
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| Christians feel it is right for them to teach their children about Christianity. Some Christians (Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Orthodox and Methodists for example) will baptise babies, as a symbol of the first step in their Christian life. Others have a ceremony of dedication (Baptists, Pentecostals, Brethren etc.) to thank God for their baby, and to dedicate the child to God, and the parents to the task of bringing the child up in the Christian faith. There are also ceremonies for when the person decides to take the faith on as their own, when they are of an age to understand what the faith is about - confirmation for those who practice infant baptism, and believer's baptism for those who have dedication services. Christians do not believe that you are a Christian simply because your parents believe. | |
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Interview with a newly married Christian couple | |