Educating our children about sexuality

‌Introducation

Sexuality and sexual ethics have been largely perverted by our culture today. In addition to being perverted, there seems to be a forcefulness to embrace the worlds perverted views around sexuality. These views are permeating through almost every fabric of society, especially our schools. It therefore becomes vitally important for a child to learn about proper sexual ethic and sexuality from their parents or they might learn it from someone else.

Duties of a parent

A Christian parent has multiple duties in raising their children, with one of their most important duties being to raise their child in the “instruction of the Lord” (Eph 4:6). Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” This reference to “training” refers to a parent setting up rules, teaching good behaviour, clarifying principles and encouraging worship to their kids (Smith 2020,3). God calls on parents to mediate His word to their children (Muddiman 2001, 276).

Part of the teaching mandated by God to parents includes instruction around sexuality and a biblical sexual ethic. God does not shy away from speaking about sexuality and neither should a parent. The risk of a parent not teaching their child about sexuality is that they may learn it from someone else.

A temptation that often comes up for parents is to avoid the conversation altogether because of how awkward the conversation may get (Crabtree 2021). But parents need to be more pro-active in speaking to their children about this issue. Because, the longer they put off this conversation the more a child will be influenced by the sexual ethic propogated in the world. And the truth is, the conversation will become more awkward the longer a parent tries to put it off.

Sexuality is not something that should be seen as shameful but rather something that is “very good” as God has declared it to be (Gen 1:31, Crabtree 2021). Parents need to have the boldness to share this with their children. The risk is that if parents shy away from these vitally important conversations, their children may receieve their views around sexuality from the perverted views of this world.

Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke's Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889), 473.

John Muddiman, The Epistle to the Ephesians, Black’s New Testament Commentary (London: Continuum, 2001), 276.