What Should You Do If Someone Lies To You?

Answer: How you respond to a lie depends on who it affects. A friend might lie and say, “I shot twenty free throws in a row without missing.”

That kind of lie doesn’t need any response (in fact, saying nothing is probably best). But if a class partner shows up to give a report with you and says, “I’m all ready” and isn’t, that will affect both of you and the class.

Or if someone lies to an adult about a situation you were involved in, that will affect both of you and possibly others. In cases like that, you need to respond in some way.

In other words, you can ignore some made-up stories or exaggerations. At other times, however, you should tell the person telling the lie that what he or she is saying just isn’t true.

This is important when the lie will hurt someone, such as making up a bad story about someone at school, cheating in class, or telling something that isn’t true to get money from someone or to get that person to do something wrong.

With very serious lies, you should tell an adult. In these situations, someone could get in big trouble or get hurt badly.

Key verse: Brothers, do you know what to do if a Christian is overcome by sin? You who are godly should humbly help him back onto the right path.

Remember that next time it might be one of you who sins. (Galatians 6:1)

Related verses: Romans 14:16; Ephesians 5:11; Colossians 3:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13; 10:24

Is It Ok To Keep Secrets From Your Friends?

Answer: Most of the time it is all right to keep secrets. Telling the truth doesn’t mean that we have to tell everything we know to everyone who asks.

Sometimes secrets can be fun, like with birthday presents or other pleasant surprises. Sometimes secrets are important because it’s better for you not to give out certain information to just anyone.

We should not keep something a secret if it means that someone will get hurt or get into serious trouble.

For example, a boy might say that he is going to beat up another kid, or a girl might say that she’s going to steal something from a store.

In those cases, we should tell someone who can help-perhaps a parent, a teacher, a coach, a youth leader, or a school counselor.

Be careful not to promise to keep a secret before you hear what it is. Whether you tell or not should depend on what the secret is.

Key verse: Don’t tell your secrets to a gossip unless you want them broadcast to the world. (Proverbs 20:19)

Related verses: Proverbs 11:13; 27:6; Matthew 6:3-6

Related question: What do you do when a friend does something you know will hurt them and they said not to tell?

Note to parents: Encourage your child to tell you if they hear something from a friend that will hurt someone or lead to serious trouble.

Let your child know that telling secrets to people who can help in those situations is part of being a good friend.

On the other hand, don’t encourage “tattling.” A tattletale runs and tells adults insignificant things in order to get what they want out of a problem that they could have resolved themselves.

Is It Wrong To Tell Some – One Your Parents Are Home When They’re Not?

Answer: Telling someone that your parents are home when they aren’t is a lie, and God tells us not to lie. If we tell this kind of lie, we will find it easier to lie about other things.

But that doesn’t mean you have to answer every question that a stranger on the phone asks you.

If you are home alone, you probably shouldn’t tell people on the phone that your parents aren’t home.

Instead, you could say something like: “They can’t come to the phone right now,” or, “They are not available,” or, “Please let me take a message, and they will get right back to you.”

Talk with your mom or dad about what you can say without lying.

Key verse: A good person is known by his truthfulness. A false person is known by his cheating and lies. (Proverbs 12:17)

Related verses: Proverbs 14:15; Ephesians 5:6-10

Related question:Would it be wrong to lie to someone to protect your parents’ belongings?

Note to parents: Telling the truth doesn’t mean telling everything you know about something.

Telling everything you know may be more than the person could understand or may simply not be appropriate.

Help your child under- stand that you can withhold information without lying. You can say, “I can’t tell you,” or, “I’m not going to tell you,” or, “I can’t explain it right now.”

Just because you want them to withhold certain facts doesn’t mean they have to say something false. Help kids learn the difference between handling information wisely and lying.

Is It Ok To Lie, Knowing You Will Tell The Truth Later?

Answer: One of the most common excuses for lying is, “I was going to tell the truth later.” That may sound all right, but usually it is just another lie.

This often happens when people are joking around. They make up a story for the sake of making people laugh.

It’s OK to joke and to kid around, but it’s not OK to lie. Be careful not to make an excuse for lying by saying, “It was just a joke,” or, “I was going to tell the truth later.”

If you do, after a while people won’t know when you’re telling the truth and when you’re not, and they might stop trusting you.

The second most important thing in life is our relationships with others, and one of the most important parts of a good relationship is trust. No joke is more important than that.

Key verses: A person might be caught lying to his neighbor. And he might say, “I was just fooling.” But if he does this, he is like a madman throwing around firebrands, arrows, and death! (Proverbs 26:18-19)

Related verse: Ephesians 4:25

Related question: Is it wrong to pull pranks?

Note to parents: Parents tend to justify lies by saying, “This person can’t handle the truth.” If you want to keep some truths or pieces of the truth from kids, then say the parts that you can tell, or say nothing.

Sometimes parents make up lies to motivate kids to do certain undesirable things (“Eat your bread crusts because they’ll make your hair curly”).

Think of good ways to motivate without resorting to lies.

Is It Ok To Lie, To Keep A Friend From Getting Hurt?

Answer: We don’t have to lie to keep our friends from getting hurt. We can think of better ways.

For example, depending on the situation, we can get the help of an adult who knows the friend and cares about him or her, or we can say to the friend, “I’m not going to tell you because I don’t want you to get hurt.” There are many other ways to help a friend besides lying.

God loves you and wants you to be truthful. So he won’t force you to lie or put you in a situation where you have to lie. Look for other ways to respond.

Remember that God’s way is always the best. You may think that lying will keep someone from getting hurt, but actually it will just make the situation worse.

Key verse: Remember, the wrong desires in your life aren’t anything new. Many others have faced the same problems before you.

You can trust God. He won’t let you be carried away by sin. He will show you how to escape. You will survive the test. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Related verse: Ephesians 4:25

Related questions: Is it OK to lie if you’re going to get hurt? What if a friend has threatened to hurt me if I tell on him, but I know that he is doing something wrong?

If you lie for a friend’s sake, would it be wrong? Is it wrong not to speak up when someone is being blamed for something he didn’t do?

Note to parents: Beware of talking about hypothetical situations. If your child asks you this kind of question, try to determine what real situation is behind it.

Then, together, you can think of a way to help the friend and your child stay out of trouble.

If I Break Something That Belongs To Someone Else But Fix It, Do I Have To Tell What I Did?

Answer: How would you feel if a friend broke something of yours and didn’t tell you, even though your friend fixed it?

You probably wouldn’t like it, especially if you found out later. Treating another person the way you want to be treated is called the Golden Rule.

Jesus taught that this is the way we should always act.

Telling the person what you did is both telling the truth and showing that you respect that person.

If you break something that belongs to someone else, it is important to fix it or to pay to have it fixed.

But you should let the person know what you did and not try to hide it.

When you do that, people will know you are responsible, and they will let you borrow other things and trust you more.

But if you try to hide it and they find out, they won’t trust you anymore.

Key verse: Do for others what you want them to do for you. This is the meaning of the laws of Moses and the words of the prophets. (Matthew 7:12)

Related verses: Exodus 20:16; 22:14

Note to parents: Many children lie for reasons that are related to self-doubt and insecurity.

They lie to show off or because of fear-fear of being thought less of, fear of failure (they lie to seem to have succeeded), fear of not being accepted, and fear of getting punished.

Help your child to see that God can protect us from these fears when we respect others and their property.

If you get a gratuitous confession of wrongdoing, accept it lovingly, with gentleness.

This will encourage your child to tell the truth instead of being afraid of punishment.

Do All People Lie?

Answer: All people sin, and one of the most common sins is lying. In fact, some people don’t know the difference between truth and lies because they lie so much.

Some are so confused that they think a lie is the truth. But not all people lie. Lying is a choice.

Sometimes people say something that is not true because they don’t know all the facts; that’s not the same as lying.

For example, they might say, “Jimmy is in the backyard,” when actually he came inside a few minutes ago.

It’s good to check the facts to make sure that what you say is correct. Watch out for saying something before you’re sure it’s true.

People who want to do things God’s way make a decision not to lie, because they want to obey God.

Jesus never lied. If we do lie, we must ask God for forgiveness, admit our lie to the people involved, and try not to do it again.

Key verse: Yes, all have sinned. All fall short of God’s perfect glory. (Romans 3:23)

Related verses: Psalm 14:2-3; Proverbs 18:17; 19:5, 9; Romans 3:10-18; Ephesians 4:19-25

Related question: Why do people lie?

Note to parents: It’s confusing for children when they hear something that later turns out to be false information and think that they have been lied to.

Instead of knowingly telling a lie, however, the person may simply have been passing on misinformation.

Use this fact of life to warn your children against accusing someone of being a liar, and encourage them to be careful about what they themselves say.

For example, they could say, “I’m not sure, but I think…”

Is It All Right To Tell A Lie Once In A While?

Answer: We should always tell the truth because God always tells the truth. Would it be all right to touch a hot stove every once in a while?

If you did, you would burn yourself every time. It is never right to lie, not even once in a while. God tells us to tell the truth because he is truth .

Lying also gets us into trouble. Usually one lie leads to another. It’s so much simpler, to tell the truth than to have to remember the lies we have told so that we can keep them covered up.

And lying makes it hard for others to trust us. But people who are honest are free and joyful.

Key verse: Stop lying to each other. Tell the truth. We are part of each other. So when we lie to each other we are hurting ourselves. (Ephesians 4:25)

Related verses: Exodus 20: 16; 1 Corinthians 13:6; 2 Corinthians 4:2; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18

Related questions: Is there such a thing as a white lie? Is it wrong to tell your parents that your brother did it when he really didn’t? Why is it wrong to lie?

Note to parents: Your example is going to make a big difference here. How do you represent the truth?

How you represent the truth will guide them more than the answer you provide to a question about lying.

When you catch children lying, find out why they lied, point out the mistake in their reasoning, and show why the truth would work better.

Is It All Right To Lie If You Are Embarrassed Or Scared?

Answer: No. Lying is wrong because God is truth and because he has told us not to lie.

Telling the truth can be difficult at times, especially when we might get embarrassed or punished for doing so.

But we should do what is right even when it’s not easy. Doing it God’s way is better in the long run.

Actually, although lying is common, people want others to be truthful with them. If you tell the truth when it’s hard, people will think, Wow! They will really respect you.

They will come to trust you and leam that you are a dependable person. They may even look to you for advice and leadership. Get into the habit of telling the truth.

Very few people will stop being your friend just because you tell the truth. Your friends, classmates, relatives, and neighbors want to be able to trust what you say.

The truth helps you; lies get you into even more trouble.

Key verses: [Jesus] never sinned. He never told a lie. He never answered back when insulted.

When he suffered he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God who always judges fairly. (1 Peter 2:22-23)

Related verses: Genesis 20:1-18; 26:1-11; Exodus 20:16; Mark 14:53-65; James 5:12; 1 Peter 2:1

Related questions: Is it OK if I broke someone’s window with my ball when I was playing with my dog and didn’t tell them? Is it wrong to lie so I don’t get into trouble?

Note to parents: Children sometimes face embarrassing situations in school-situations that tempt them to lie to save face or to improve their image.

At times like that, encourage them to trust in God and in his protection.

Is It Ok For Mom And Dad To Lie To You About Your Christmas Presents?

Answer: God wants us always to be truthful. But that doesn’t mean that we have to answer every question that people ask us, nor does it mean that we have to tell them everything we know.

If you ask your parents, “What did you get me for Christmas?” or “Did you get me a bike for Christmas?” they can say something like: “I’m not going to tell you because I want you to be surprised.”

Be careful not to make excuses for lying. Don’t lie and then make up a reason for doing it.

When it comes to giving gifts, there are ways to surprise people and make them feel special without lying to them.

Key verse: Most of all, brothers, don’t swear by Heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no. That way you won’t sin and be guilty for it. (James 5:12)

Related verses: Exodus 20: 16; Proverbs 22:11; Colossians 4:6

Related question: Is it OK to lie if you are trying not to hurt people?

Note to parents: Children often don’t make allowances for “socially acceptable” lies the way some adults do.

And that’s good! Make it a household rule always to speak the truth. Your commitment to truth telling will have the benefit of developing honesty in your child.

Why Do I Feel Bad When I Do Something Wrong?

Answer: When we do something wrong, we may feel bad because it hurts others. Or we may feel frustrated because we didn’t do what was best.

Also, we may feel guilty because we have let God down. God wants us to do right, so he built a warning system in us to alert us when we are about to do something wrong.

That warning system is called a conscience. If we get too close to a fire, the heat warns us to move away before we get hurt.

Our conscience warns us that doing bad things will hurt us if we do them.

Key verses: I am no longer sorry that I sent that letter to you. I was very sorry for a time. I knew how much it would hurt you.

But it hurt you only for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it. Not because it hurt you but because the pain turned you to God.

It was a good kind of sadness you felt. It was the kind of sadness God wants his people to have. So I don’t need to come to you and be rough.

God sometimes uses sadness to help us turn away from sin and seek eternal life. We should never be angry that he has sent it.

But the sadness of the man who is not a Christian doesn’t change him. It brings him more death. (2 Corinthians 7:8-10)

Related verses: Acts 24:16; Romans 2:15; 1 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Peter 3:16

Related questions: Why do I feel guilty? What is guilt?

Note to parents: There’s a difference between guilt feelings and a true sense of wrong.

Some children are supersensitive and feel guilty about almost everything they do.

If that describes your child, help him or her understand the depth of God’s love and forgiveness.

What Does God Want Me To Do When I Do Something Wrong?

Answer: The first thing we should do is to pray and admit to God what we have done.

We should tell him that we are sorry and that we want him to help us not to do it again.

Also, we should ask God to help us learn from the experience. Admitting our sins to God brings us back close to him.

Remember, God wants to protect us and to provide all we need for living. So we should stay close to him and talk with him about everything.

Try praying when you first think of doing something wrong. God can help you avoid or get out of trouble.

If our sin has hurt others, we should talk to them, too, saying we’re sorry and asking for their forgiveness.

Key verse: If we confess our sins, he can be depended on to forgive us. He will cleanse us from every wrong. It is proper for God to do this because Christ died for our sins. (1 John 1:9)

Related verses: Matthew 5:23-24

Related questions: Is it wrong to not confess something I did wrong? Do I have to do everything right?

Note to parents: If your child comes to you with a confession, see it as a teachable moment-help the child see what can be learned from it.

Be gentle, loving, and forgiving; otherwise the child may be unwilling to come to you again. Often children are strapped with guilt.

If so, consider rituals that can help free them from it, such as writing down their sins on a piece of paper, talking with God about them, and then tearing up the paper together.

How Do You Get Permission To Go To Heaven?

Answer: There is only one way to get to heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ. Only people who trust in Jesus go to heaven. We can place our trust in Jesus by praying to God and telling him that

• we are sorry for our sins – for disobeying him and living only for ourselves;
• we believe that Jesus, his only Son, carne to earth and died on the cross, in our place, to take the punishment for our sin, and that he rose again from the dead; and
• we want his Holy Spirit to live inside us and guide us. The Bible says that whoever does this and means it becomes a new person, a child of God. And all of God’s children will go to be with him in heaven when they die.

Key verse: God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Related verses: Matthew 7:21; John 1:11-13; 14:6; Romans 10:9-10

Related questions: Am I a bad person if I don’t ask Jesus into my heart? How does God choose who goes to heaven?

Note to parents: Leading your son or daughter to Christ can arise quite easily out of discussions about right and wrong.

Be ready for it by knowing what to say when a child asks a question such as this one.

If You Swear And You’re A Christian, Do You Still Go To Heaven?

Answer: If we have given ow lives to Christ, we will go to heaven, even if we occasionally do some-thing bad (such as swear).

But ow relationship with God will affect the way we live. People will be able to see a difference in our lives because we are Christians.

Yes, we can do bad things and still go to heaven, but why would we want to? God wants only the very best for us, and sinning hurts us.

Heaven is a place where everyone does good all the time. That’s because heaven is perfect and God is there.

People who love God love doing good. If we love God, we will want to please him, and we will trust that he knows what’s best for us.

Key verse: Now is the time to throw away anger, hatred, cursing, and dirty language. (Colossians 3:8)

Related verses: Proverbs 4:24; Romans 8:38-39; 1 Peter 1:15-16

Related questions: If I ask Jesus into my heart and then do bad stuff, will I go to hell? If you lied and then died before asking forgiveness, would you still go to heaven?

Will I go to hell if I backslide? If you drink and drive and crash and die, do you still go to heaven? If you sin every minute, will you still go to heaven?

Note to parents: This question will usually arise out of what kids hear from adults, not just their peers.

If you hear your child using swear words, take the opportunity to explain that it is wrong and why it is wrong.

Also keep in mind that what you model pulls a lot of weight. If you swear, so will your kids.

Why Does God Have Rules?

Answer: God has rules to protect us and to help us. In one way, God’s rules are like a wall that protects us from danger.

The wall stops us from going any further than we should and getting into trouble.

Although we don’t always know what is on the other side of the wall, God does, and he loves us so much that he wants to keep us away from it.

God also has rules to help us grow and become all that he wants us to be. Think of feeding a baby.

The baby may not like the food-the way it looks, tastes, and feels-but we know that he or she needs to eat good food in order to be healthy and to grow.

Like the baby, we don’t know everything we need, but God does. In order to help us, he tells us what to do.

God loves us more than anyone else does, and he knows what is best for us. His rules are for our benefit. That’s why we need to trust him and obey him.

Key verses: Until Christ came we were guarded by the law. We were kept by the law until we could believe in the coming Savior.

Let me put it another way. The Jewish laws were our teacher and guide until Christ came. He gave us right standing with God through our faith. (Galatians 3:23-24)

Related verses: Deuteronomy 5:31-33; 7:8; Psalm 19:7-11; 119:9,33-40; Romans 2:20; 7:12; Hebrews 12:9-11

Related question: Why are there so many laws in the Bible?

Why Doesn’t God Want Us To Have Fun?

Answer: If people think or say that God doesn’t want us to have fun, they don’t know the truth about God.

He does want us to have fun. Jesus was happy, and he told people that they would find joy by following him.

Also, God tells us in the Bible that heaven is a place of nonstop joy.

Doing what is wrong (sinning) can be fun, but the fun doesn’t last, and it leads to bad consequences.

It’s like eating something that tastes good but that makes you sick later. The main reason we shouldn’t sin is that God tells us not to, “and we need to trust him.

God knows us better than anyone else does. His fun and joy and happiness are the greatest! And they last forever!

Nobody can have more fun than people who know God. You don’t have to sin to have fun.

Key verse: I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. (lohn 15:11)

Related verses: Psalm 5: 11; 19:8; Luke 10:21; John 3:29; 17:13; Romans 14:17; Galatians 5:22; Philippians 1:25; Hebrews 11:24-25; Jude 1:24

Related question: Does the Lord have hate in him?

Note to parents: Be careful not to imply that people who sin aren’t having fun.

Kids know better, from observation and from their own experience! Emphasize the fact that God’s way is the best way for us, even though another way may seem better.

Also, make the distinction between immediate pleasure and a joyful, healthy life.

Is God Sad When Ido Something Wrong?

Answer: God is very sad when we do bad things. In fact, he is more upset and grieved over the sins of the world than anyone else.

God is sad because he sees how much sin hurts us and others. But God realizes that we are growing and we make mistakes sometimes.

He keeps on encouraging us. He loves us so much that he will not give up on us.

Key verse: Don’t cause the Holy Spirit sorrow by the way you live. Remember, he has marked you until the day when salvation will be complete. (Ephesians 4:30)

Related verses: 2 Samuel 24:16; Matthew 23:37

Related questions: What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit? What if I didn’t believe in the Bible? Does Jesus really love me?

Note To Parents: Some parents use this truth to get children to behave.

But many children, especially younger ones, already feel guilty about their wrongdoing and will be oversensitive to the idea that they have hurt God’s feelings.

Instead, tell them that God loves them, is helping them to be good, and is very pleased when they do the right thing!

How Do I Become Even Closer To God Than I Am Now?

Answer: Think of God as someone who wants to be your very close friend. For that to happen, you will need to spend time together.

You can spend time with God by reading his Word, the Bible. You can ask your parents to help you know where and how to read.

Also, you can talk with God about your life (called praying). When you pray, tell God about your fears and hopes.

Thank him for loving you. Tell him that you are sorry for disobeying him, and ask him to help you to get closer to him and do what he wants.

You can also tell him about other people and their problems, asking him to help those people, too.

You also get closer to God through worship. That’s why churches have worship services.

There, with other Christians, you can sing praises to God, talk to him, think about him, remember how much he loves you and what Jesus did for you, and learn from his Word.

Remember that God will draw closer to you if you draw closer to him. Tell him you want to get to know him better.

Ask him to draw you closer to himself. You can’t get closer to God just by doing a few “Christian” things. But you can get closer to him by having a relationship with him and asking him to help you get to know him better!

Key verse: When you draw close to God, God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, sinners! Let your hearts be filled with God. He will make them pure and true to him. (James 4:8)

Related verses: Colossians 1:9-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17

If Lying Is A Sin, Why Did Some People In The Bible Tell Lies?

Answer: It is true that the Bible has stories about people who told lies, but the huge majority of Bible people told the truth.

God never says in the Bible that lying is right. Some people in the Bible chose to lie, but God didn’t say they were good for doing that.

God is truth, and he wants us to tell the truth. Honesty is very important for families, neighborhoods, cities, schools, companies, and friendships.

Honesty protects us from danger and helps us to be happier people. Be someone who always tells the truth, because that’s how God is.

Key verse: Stop lying to each other. Tell the truth. We are part of each other. So when we lie to each other we are hurting ourselves. (Ephesians 4:25)

Related verses: Proverbs 6:16-17; 26:18-19; John 8:44; 14:6

Related questions: Is it ever OK to break a promise or tell a lie? What about Jacob in the Bible? Why do people in the Bible kill people? Is it OK to lie if God told you to?

Note to parents: One of the reasons for the stories in the Bible is so we can learn from the examples, both good and bad, of the people in them.

Some of their choices set good examples, and some set bad ones. We shouldn’t follow every example in the Bible.

The fact that Samson lied doesn’t mean we should. Whenever you read Bible stories about such people, ask, “What did this person do that was right?” and, “What did this person do that was wrong?”

What Is A Conscience?

Answer: God has built into us a way of helping us tell right from wrong. We call this inner voice our conscience, and we need to learn to listen to it.

It’s a feeling inside about something we are thinking about doing. If what we are thinking about doing is not right, then our conscience can make us feel bad about it and give us the sense that we should not do it.

Our conscience can also tell us when we should do something. When it does that, we get a strong sense that we should do what we’re thinking about.

God gave us our conscience to help us decide what to do. So it’s important for us to listen to our con- science.

If we don’t listen to our conscience, pretty soon we get into the habit of ignoring it. After a while we won’t hear it at all. That can lead to trouble. Listen carefully to your conscience.

Key verse: Because of this, I try to keep my conscience clean before God and man. (Acts 24:16)

Related verses: 1 Peter 3:16; Romans 2:15; 1 Corinthians 4:4

Related question: Once I know what’s right, do I have to do it?

Note to parents: Be careful not to associate the conscience only with guilty feelings. The best decisions for what is right and good come out of a firm conviction and desire to do right, not out of a desire to silence a guilty conscience.

When discussing the conscience with kids, emphasize the positive role it can have.

The more we read and study God’s Word, the more our conscience can help us choose to do right.

Do I Have To Let Little Kids In My Room To Play When I Have Special Stuff?

Answer: Maybe. God is loving and kind, so he wants us to be loving and kind, too, not stingy and selfish.

If friends, brothers or sisters, or small children want to play with your toys, you should let them if it’s safe and OK with their parents.

Sometimes we act as if our toys, clothes, and other belongings are more important than our friends and family.

But it’s good to take turns and to let other people enjoy our “special stuff.” When we do that, people will be able to see that we are different from people who don’t love Jesus.

On the other hand, God wants us to be responsible, too. Although God is loving and kind, he would not give us something that would hurt us.

You don’t have to let little kids do whatever they want with your things, especially if your special stuff is fragile or too hard for little kids to use right.

Everybody should take good care of their things, and everyone should respect everyone else’s things.

Try to let other kids have a turn with your stuff whenever you can, and when you can’t, be kind about it and make sure you have a good reason.

Key verse: Love is very patient and kind. It is never jealous or envious. It never boasts or is proud. (1 Corinthians 13:4)

Related verses: Galatians 5:22; James 4:17

Related question: Is it right to stand up for your rights?

Note to parents: This touches on the issue of sharing. Place the emphasis on taking turns rather than on sharing; children will more easily understand what you’re asking them to do.

What Are God’s Rules For Right And Wrong?

Answer: God has given us his Word, the Bible, which tells us about him and how he wants us to live.

So we must do our best to obey what God tells us in his Word. Jesus said that the most important rule (called a commandment) is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.

‘ This is the first and greatest command. The second most important is similar: ‘Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself”” (Matthew 22:37-39).

We should love God first and then other people. If we do that, we will do what is right.

Also, God wants us to develop a desire for the best, not just second best. Some activities may not be wrong but aren’t best for us.

We should do what is best and not settle for anything less. Making right, moral choices means not just saying no to bad actions but also saying yes to what is good and helpful.

Key verses: Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.’ This is the first and greatest command. The second most important is similar: ‘Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39)

Related verses: Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-22

Note to parents: A child may think that being good means just avoiding the bad. Help your child to see that being good means making a positive choice to please God in everything we do.

And we seek to do so because we know that God seeks our best.

When I Ask A Question Why Do You Always Tell Me What The Bible Says?

Answer: The Bible is God’s Word. When we read it, we leam what God is like and how he wants us to live in this world.

Think of the Bible as an instruction book, like the one for the family car. If we do what the book says, the car will run right.

If something goes wrong, we can read the book and find out how to fix it. The Bible is God’s instruction book for our lives.

We need to read and study it so that we will run right and so God can fix things that go wrong with us. It’s not enough just to read the Bible; we also must do what it says.

Key verse: The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God. It is useful to teach us what is true. It helps us to know what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and helps us do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16)

Related verse: Psalm 119:105

Related question: Why do you have to read the Bible so much?

Note to parents: One of the most powerful ways to help your child learn right from wrong is to read a Bible verse together that deals with a specific moral issue (such as honesty or lying) and then talk about how this might affect your own family life.

For example, you could read Ephesians 4:25 and then call to mind the last time your child spoke the truth when it was difficult to do so.

Perhaps you asked your child, “What are you doing?” and your child spoke honestly, despite being afraid of getting into trouble.

This will reinforce the moral principle as well as its importance.

Is It A Sin If You’re Not Sure If Something Is Wrong But You Still Go Along With It?

Answer: It is not necessarily a sin to do something that we don’t know is right or wrong. We can’t know everything, and we shouldn’t assume that everything we don’t know about is wrong.

On the other hand, if you have doubts and think it might be wrong, you’d better make sure before doing it. Put off doing it; then read the Bible and ask Mom or Dad.

Remember, you should choose what is best, not just avoid what is wrong.

Key verse: Anyone who believes that something he wants to do is wrong shouldn’t do it. He sins ifhe does. He thinks it is wrong, and so for him it is wrong.

Anything that is done apart from what he feels is right is sin. (Romans 14:23)

Related verse: 1 Corinthians 4:4

Related question: If you know you are doing something bad and your parents said you’re allowed to do it, is it right or wrong?

Note to parents: This touches on the issue of peer pressure. Kids don’t always know what is right and wrong.

They really don’t. Whenever your kids report that they avoided doing something that they weren’t quite sure about, affirm them.

This may also be a good time to explain the Four Cs: Consider the choice, Compare our attitudes and actions to God, Commit to God’s ways, and Count on God’s protection and provision.