Let’s be clear by what I mean by a ‘Godless home.’ I don’t mean a home where Dad and Mom are strung out on crack and plotting their next bank robbery while their children fluently cuss each other out in five different languages. Certainly, a myriad of ways exist by which parents can create an absolutely evil home. ‘Godless home’ simply describes a home in which God is not present.
Danny is nine years old. He lives across the street from a Bible-teaching church. It’s midsummer, and the church holds a week-long Bible school. Danny attends all five days. Each day contains a Bible lesson of 30 minutes. By the end of the week, Danny has listened to 150 minutes of Bible-teaching.
At the end of the week, the teacher invites Danny to her Sunday School class. He likes that idea, and he attends three Sundays in a row.
But Danny never returns after those three Sundays. His life becomes busy doing other things. His parents have no interest in the church, so they fill their weekends with all sorts of fun events, like swimming, amusement parks, and hang-gliding. Danny learns weekends are all about family fun!
The next summer rolls around. Bible school begins, and Danny attends once again. He enjoys the fellowship and listens attentively to the Bible-teachings. This time, however, he doesn’t accept the teacher’s invitation to Sunday School. His parents have arranged so many good things for the rest of the summer. On those Sundays when they are at home, they rest up—getting ready for the next busy weekend.
Mom and Dad own a Bible. A large one was given to them as a wedding present. It sits in a bookcase in the living room. However, it’s never brought down from the shelf to share God’s truths with Danny.
Prayer has never been a habit for Danny’s mom and dad. More of a ‘break glass in case of emergency’ mindset. They’ve never made prayer a daily practice in their lives. “I’ll let God know if I need Him” describes how they treat Him.
Sometimes when Easter rolls around, Mom dresses up, and she and Danny go to the church across the street. But not Dad—he outgrew church long ago. It isn’t long before Danny refuses to go to church too. After all, if Dad doesn’t, why should he? Truth is, church happens every Sunday, so what’s the rush?
Years pass as Danny grows up in a Godless home, a place where God is never discussed, never prayed to, never invited to be a real Person in anyone’s lives. Eventually, Danny becomes a young adult. Following his parents’ example, Danny fills his life with all sorts of activities. None of those activities include being part of a church fellowship, however. Danny has transitioned from growing up in a Godless home to now living a Godless life. Of course, he believes in the existence of a God. Someone told him that once.
He is a good citizen, however. He treats elders with respect, and he doesn’t steal or lie. He smiles alot. To look at Danny, no one would suspect he is Godless. In other words, without God.
Danny eventually marries and has a family. Not surprisingly, he teaches his children the same way: Good morals, but no God. Another Godless home joins the ranks.
Then the Day of Christ comes. Judgment Day for all of us. Jesus looks at Mom and Dad. Then at Danny. Then at Danny’s children. Then He utters the words no parent should hear: “Depart from me; I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23)
Parents, hear me. There’s nothing wrong with family busyness in good, fun ways. But the eternal stakes are too high. If you’re raising your kids in a Godless home, please reconsider.
Introduce them to Jesus. Be diligent in showing Him to them. He can take it from there. Then, once, you and your family are standing before Christ on Judgment Day, you will be ecstatic at the result—watching your kids enter Heaven’s gates, into the arms of Jesus. The other path will destroy your heart.