Are Our Children Called?

Are children called? What does the Bible say about tithing? Find out the truth below!

With the understanding that being "called" means being invited by God, the answer is "Yes!"

Christ used the words called and invited nearly interchangeably in the parable about those summoned to a wedding, for example (Matthew 22:1-14 [1] And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
[2] The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
[3] And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
[4] Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
[5] But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
[6] And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
[7] But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
[8] Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
[9] Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
[10] So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
[11] And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
[12] And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
[13] Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
[14] For many are called, but few are chosen.

See All...). Calling is the first phase in the process. Those called must decide whether and when to accept that invitation.

Calling necessarily precedes baptism. As the Holy Spirit was with the disciples before it was in them (John 14:17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
See All...), so the Holy Spirit works with called individuals. However, being called does not equate to actually receiving the Holy Spirit. That takes place after baptism with the laying on of hands. Before a person is baptized, he must repent, exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ for the remission of sins and willingly choose to follow God. Those who respond to God's calling are described as "chosen." Those saints who will rule with Christ are "called" and "chosen" and "faithful."

Can a child be called? Scriptural evidence leaves no doubt that a child can have a relationship with God. Examples include Samuel (1 Samuel 2:18But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
See All..., 26), Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:3For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
See All...) and Timothy (1 Timothy 3:14-15 [14] These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
[15] But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

See All...). Young people can understand spiritual concepts (Proverbs 3:1-3 [1] My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
[2] For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
[3] Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

See All..., Psalm 34:11Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
See All...).

Parents are told to teach their children God's way (Deuteronomy 4:9-10 [9] Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;
[10] Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

See All...) and to follow Abraham, "the father of us all" (Romans 4:16Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
See All...), who commanded his children to keep the way of the Lord (Genesis 18:19For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
See All...).

On Pentecost, after Peter's call to repentance and baptism, he said, "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.
See All...). God's promise to the offspring of the converted is a special blessing. They are in a unique category, holy or set apart by God (1 Corinthians 7:14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
See All...). Though they are not converted, they do have a special access to the knowledge of the way of God.

The way children growing up in the Church are called will differ from what most adult converts experience. A child's calling is gradual and becomes more personal as he or she grows and matures. Experience shows that, as with all people called, some young people who grow up in the Church relate to and respond favorably to God's way of life, and some do not. Many factors determine the type and degree of positive exposure to God's way. These include the child's age when the parents are called; influence of friends, peers and popular culture; personality, aptitudes, interests and temperament; example of parents and other family members; and influence of the congregation.

The greatest positive factor in children's lives should be the parents. Paul told parents not to "provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
See All...).

The Church also bears certain responsibilities for spiritual child development. Jesus commissioned the Church to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20 [19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
[20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

See All...). What more fertile ground exists for making disciples than that of our youth who have already been called by God? The entire Church must be involved in this work.

But what about children who choose not to respond to God's calling? They have not necessarily forfeited their only opportunity to receive eternal life. Only God knows the heart or mind of each individual. Those He deems to have not received an appropriate opportunity for salvation now will assuredly receive one later.

God's calling is not a one-time event, but a process. It involves ongoing interaction between a loving Father and His children. Some choose to follow the path of the prodigal son, a tragic choice, but God is patient, "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
See All...).

More details will be available in a video seminar being prepared on this subject.