Parenting of the LORD is not an easy task. I am human, so are my children, so we have issues. 
Since I am a Christian parent, it’s my desire to parent according to Biblical principles. That requires knowing the Bible.
I’ve seen a product being shared and hyped on some blogs and places I visit and, honestly, it makes me sad. Sad because, though I understand the basic concept, I think this product perpetuates an image and idea of the Christian life that is not the heart of the faith. I believe it encourages a law based mentality. I fear it undermines what should be the focus of the Christian parent: sharing and rejoicing in the Gospel.
The product is The Child Training Bible.
The Child Training Bible site (photo credit to them) says this about their product:
This Bible is designed for parents and children to seek answers from God’s Word on common sinful problems. Topics include: disobedience, selfishness, anger, complaining and fear. The Child Training Bible makes it easy for parents to bring the truth of God’s Word into times of instruction. Simply use the key on the inside-front cover of the CTB to locate the sinful behavior and find the section and color flags to go to. Read the highlighted verses with your child and explain what God says about the behavior that needs to be addressed. With the CTB you can make the most of your time with your children by using Scripture to instruct them in righteousness.
I completely agree that the Bible is God’s Word and that it holds the wisdom God desires to share with us- about Him and his ways and the ways he wants to be glorified. It’s just that I believe it’s much, much more than a tool for behavior training and I think this product cultivates the idea that the Bible is primarily that.
Yes, I believe Scripture is “God breathed and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness”, but we shouldn’t be thumping our children with the Bible and I think that’s what this tool does.
God’s beautiful, wonderful Word is not about “how to behave”, it’s about Him. Knowing Him. Loving Him. Glorifying Him.
If we treat the Bible like a reference for behavior training, then I believe we give our kids the wrong impression. If every time they sin, we go to the Bible and flip to a color coded section, then all they see is behavior training. I believe that a child raised with this will think of these color coded “lessons” with Mom for their whole lives and most likely believe the Bible is “a book of rules”, one of the primary beliefs of non-Christians.
I’ve shared before how God has broken my heart and broken through to my mind about how focusing on law leads to a life less loving. I believe, though probably well intentioned, this product is not a good idea.
Does that mean we don’t teach how God desires us to live? Of course not, that would not be grace or godly. We should teach our children how to glorify God in their behavior.
A reference book is a good thing. The Bible is much, much more than that.
A training device is a good thing. The Bible is much, much more than that.
A quick learning tool is a good thing. The Bible is much, much more than that.
Yes! We have to teach our children God’s Word in a real, living way, but I believe this tool makes God’s Living and Breathing Word something that it isn’t: a rule book. Instead, we should be reading books of the Bible together, sharing what we read in God’s Word personally, and encouraging them to see God’s Word as a beautiful, historical, loving record of His Plan.
If we are going to take them to color coded sections, let them be on his love, his grace, his mercy, his righteousness, his Son, his resurrection, his promises, his help…
Do we want our kids growing up thinking of the Bible as a behavior teaching tool or do we want them growing up thinking of the Bible as the beautiful, amazing story of God’s grace and mercy shown to his people all through history?
I know which one I want.
And that’s why I’m sad the Child Training Bible is getting so many people excited.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m a kids pastor, and I just find it sad that this Bible focusses on the negative things!
If you’re going to have a colour-coded Bible, at least focus on the positives!
Thanks for sharing this post!
This is the first I’ve seen/heard of this Bible, but man do I agree with you! What a shame this even exists.
Wow first I’ve heard of this and I completely agree with your thoughts. Kids already tend to grow up “scared” of God in ways because He seems so far off and hard to understand to their young minds. Why make it even more intimidating? James has learned so much more joy and understanding just reading the whole bible.
Yes, I’m sure he has. I’m so glad for him.
Even families that use this in conjunction with Bible reading, sharing and discipleship are making a mistake, in my opinion. I still believe it will stand out and give the Bible and the LORD an image He doesn’t desire.
I believe soaking our kids in his character, his ways and his story will encourage behavior that honors him. Teaching verses that highlight appropriate behavior is not wrong, it just shouldn’t be color coded on a Bible as the emphasis.
While I agree with you to an extent, I have to disagree on certain points. I certainly wouldn’t want a “Child Training Bible” being my child’s primary bible (honestly, I have to say, I don’t have, nor do I want one of these bibles–it’s just not the thing for me or my family), I think that KNOWING the “law” is a very important thing. Yes, it’s so important to teach our children of God’s grace and mercy and love…but it’s also important to help them to KNOW what He expects of us. Not only that, but showing them God’s expectations and how it’s absolutely impossible to fully obey it all is what highlights the wonder of His grace! Our children are new to this place…if we were new to a country, we’d want to know the laws, would we not? When we learn to drive, we MUST know the rules before we get behind the wheel. Ignorance doesn’t release us of liability, right? Maybe we’ll be lucky and get an officer that “lets us off”, but we’re still endangering others by being on the road and not knowing the “rules”. I think God wants us to trust him to balance grace and law…our job is to seek to obey Him, His job is to offer His grace when we fail.
Janelle,
I *do* agree with you, which is why I said it would not be godly or grace to not teach them how God desires we behave. The way we reflect these ways of behaving are very important though. And I completely love your point “offer his grace when we fail”. This tool does not do that, it takes them straight to verses on their sin, not his grace.
I teach my children God honoring ways to behave and will always do so.
Thank you for chiming in.
Mindy
P.S. I’ve highlighted my post some now to reflect that I believe we should teach behavior. Thank you for sharing so I could do that.
I’d like to say that I appreciate your comments on my blog and I understand your heart of iron sharpening iron. This is why I’ve chosen to respond to you here.
You make a few assumptions in this post that I would like to challenge.
The most obvious is that anyone involved in this product or promoting this product would view this as the ONLY purpose of God’s Word. While it’s certainly possible for someone to misuse God’s Word in this manner, one certainly does not need the CTB to do so. This is not the heart of the Dunn family, nor of any bloggers who I’ve seen promoting this. If it was, I would join you in condemning such ideas. As a matter of fact, the CTB has 3 sections devoted to sharing the gospel with your children.
A second assumption is that God’s Word is not about “how to behave”.
You say,
Yes, God’s Word is about Him, knowing Him, loving Him and glorifying Him, but is it true that it is not about ‘how to behave’?
1 Thess. 4 says he who rejects the how-you-ought-to-walk (“how to behave’) aspect of the Bible is rejecting God,
Most of the Scriptures are about how to behave and how not to behave. (Eph 4:17-32 is a prominent NT example)
Why is this?
Well, how do we know God, love God or glorify God?
You say,
How do we teach our children the ‘gospel’ without teaching them what God requires?
The first part of the gospel is understanding our need for Christ.
This is one strength of the CTB, to show our children that they have sinned against a holy and just God, not just disobeyed their mom and dad. When we take our children to the Bible as part of their correction (and we’ve done this ever since we became parents, more than 15 years before we heard about the CTB), we point out their sin, their need for a Savior and their need for repentance. We step them through this process as they confess their sin to God and whomever else they offended and ask for forgiveness.
But there is more to the gospel than recognizing our sin and turning from it. We must turn to something. Romans 6 goes through this and explains that we must turn to righteousness. We must be slaves of righteousness
What is righteousness? Obedience to the law of God.
In the great commission, how does Jesus command his disciples to spread the gospel?
Here is what the Bible focuses on when it comes to parents and children:
God chose Abraham because he would command his children to behave in a certain way.
Psalm 78,
Duet. 6,
We know that children are commanded to obey their parents (Ex. 20, Eph. 6, etc.). If we, as parents, are requiring our children to obey us (and we should be), but are making up our own standard rather than looking to God’s Word as the standard, then we are guilty of “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”
Should parents also be reading the Bible to their children? Of course.
Is the Bible merely a rule book? No way.
It is much more than a rule book, but it is certainly not less.
Does the Bible contain rules that govern our lives? Yes. Are we wrong then for using it for that purpose?
To condemn the CTB and those who promote it because it serves a specific purpose and does not provide for us everything the entire Bible can give us, is like speaking out against a book that uses the Scriptures to teach about biblical marriage.
One could say, the Bible isn’t just a handbook for a happy marriage, but it’s foolish to say that the Bible isn’t a handbook for a happy marriage, it is that. It is a tool for training our children and it is so much more.
Kim – I’m so glad you responded to this! I was quite surprised to read this blog post! I’m glad you are sharing the good that the CTB has to offer.
I’m glad you shared, Kimberly. Truly.
Yes, you are right in that we are told again and again to teach godly behavior. I do believe that. I just believe that primary in that is teaching who God is, how He has moved in history and how is glorified.
Next, is teaching godly behavior. You are right. My post did not clarify that enough.
I also have recently been challenged in how we teach godly behaviors. Do we share the Gospel when doing it or do we share only law? Do we focus on what to do and not Who enables it?
While I agree with all the reasons you share that we should teach our children godly behavior and that Scripture does teach that in many areas, I still believe this tool is not a good idea. Maybe I would think differently if there were color coded sections on love, mercy, grace, gentleness, and such. Maybe.
I still believe that a color coded tool that focuses on ungodly behaviors and dealing with them gives the wrong message and especially a wrong visual image I believe will stick forever in our children.
Again, thank you for sharing. May God be glorified in how each of us seeks to teach our children, even when we disagree.
in Christ, Mindy
My first reaction to this blog post was, “Wow! I thought I was the only that thought this way!”
I was not aware of the CTB before this post, but I do own an mostly brand-new copy of “For Instruction in Righteousness” that I bought about 10 years ago. I could not bring myself to use it, much less spend time learning to use it well. I have enough condemnation heaped upon me that I could not imagine doing such to my children.
My husband and I have chosen to plant good fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, kindness AND self-control) hoping to reap good fruit within our children.
In OUR house (not always in everyone’s), we seek out the scriptures that show God’s mercy and grace toward his people to turn us toward His love and patience. We also read many, many, many stories of how God was not allowed to show His good fruit because His own precious people rejected Him and refused His wisdom and guidance.
Turning the hearts of the children to their fathers and their heavenly Father is a day-to-day, individual process. However, I would like to think that pointing my children towards God’s goodness with bring forth their own goodness, rather than having them fear His wrath for making a misstep.
Thank you, GTG for pointing out ANOTHER way of leading our children in the nurture and ADMONITION of the Lord.
I recently became aware of this child training tool and started researching it. I am surprised to find a negative statement regarding it because it sounds like your statements are coming from a place without all the facts. I have a concordance on my shelf and I use it to look up verses both topical and otherwise. In fact I have one in the back of my bible as well. This “Child Training Bible” is no more than a bible used for that purpose in the area of child training. I highlight and underline things in my bible as I read, and we memorize scripture, usually verses that are helpful at the moment. Is that legalism? We are commanded in Deuteronomy 6:1-9 “Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you—‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’ “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
I watched the tutorial on the CTB and the heart of these parents was to teach their children to run to God in whatever circumstance they found themselves. They were not separating words as if it were simply a rule book (although it is that and much more). They had a whole section on the gospel so as to impart grace to their children. If we take your argument to it’s logical conclusion then any book that has been written on parenting (or any other topic) using biblical principals is also legalistic and condemning. I have read numerous books and articles on marriage and parenting. If they are not imparting the grace of God but are legalistic then you must say I have wasted my time and money, and not only that but the author is wasting their time as well – and what’s worse they are selling a lie! Those who love God delight in His commandments. Not because they have to, but because they love God so much that they want to.
Matthew 5:17-19 says:
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Quite often people use the verse “Judge not lest ye be Judged.” I am going to use it in context. Matthew 7:1-5 says:
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
To say that this child training tool or method is legalistic or in anyway portrays God as something He is not without having truly researched what was being put forth is misleading. No one on this earth is without sin, and our righteousness is as filthy rags. It is by God’s grace alone that we are anything and we can do nothing good apart from Him. My impression was that this couple wanted to turn to God alone in the training (also called nurture and admonition) of their children. What they did was no different than highlighting in your bible for the current bible study you are doing.
The flaw in your argument seems to be your steadfast position that law and grace are somehow mutually exclusive. They are not.
You stress “knowing God.” Knowing God is knowing his will and his Law is His will…you can’t separate them.
We must follow his law and be obedient to it. Grace means we are saved apart from the law. Mercy means when we do break His law, we don’t get the punishment we deserve.
Charley-
This has been interesting.
I have said more than once that it has to be both, yet people seem to think I am saying that it’s only one or the other.
Ok… Yes, we have to know Him and that includes his law AND his will.
Yes, mercy and grace are different. We need both, wouldn’t you agree?
Yes, we need to use Scripture to teach and train
Agreeing with all of that, I still believe that The Child Training Bible focuses on the law only and takes the Living Word and makes it into a color coded behavior tool. I just can’t see that being a good thing. Yes, it will save time in finding Scripture. Yes, it takes us to where we want to be for training. Yes, it is all still a part of God’s Word… BUT this tool still focuses on one area alone and I think that’s a bad idea.
Thank you for chiming in!
I want to also clarify that if this tool was a list or a chart or something, I could probably deal with it better. The fact that it puts these stickers on the actual Bible really, really bothers me.
I googled about this Bible, because having just stumbled on to it on Pinterest, I was curious to know more, but after reading the description, I felt a kind of check about it. You have put that check into words and confirmed what I was sensing. Besides the excellent points that you bring out, another troubling aspect is how this dissects the Word of God, rather than keeping it in context and examining Scripture through the lens of the whole. I don’t want my children to see the Bible as piecemeal rules, but as a unified book, made up of intersecting parts that all illuminate the gospel. It is through reading the stories of God’s people and our Messiah that Christian character comes to life. In fact, stories are the basis of the moral imagination. All of the other teachings in the non-narrative portions of the Bible can only reach their hearts if they have a solid foundation in the whole of God’s Word and how it all fits together.
I was suckered into buying on of these! It’s so colorful! But really, all it is is when you go to the back of your bible and find bible helps. Only the ctb focuses on all the negative behaviors where your bible tells about negative and positive! To me, this is a decent concept but I think it’s a rip off personally. Buy some labels and go to the back of your bible and label away. You don’t need the 4 colorful laminated cards that makes up the ctb kit. I’m not impressed and actually am making my own version of this to include the many key things the ctb leaves out!!