Teaching Children About God's Mercy and Forgiveness in Scripture
Scripture places the instruction of children in God's ways squarely on parents, who are commanded to "train them up for God" and "instruct them in God's word" [2]. This duty extends explicitly to teaching about divine mercy and forgiveness, concepts woven throughout the biblical narrative from Exodus to the epistles.
The Biblical Foundation
God reveals himself as "keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin" [3], a self-description given to Moses that establishes mercy as central to the divine character. The psalmist invites children directly: "Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh" [5], indicating that even young minds can grasp reverence for God. In the New Testament, John writes to believers as "children" who "have forgiveness of sins through his name" [8], while Luke's Gospel describes salvation as coming "through the forgiveness of sins" [7].
Mercy as Compassion for Misery
Mercy is defined as "compassion for the miserable," with misery as its object [6]. Through Christ's atoning sacrifice, mercy toward humanity becomes possible "in harmony with the demands of truth and righteousness," where "mercy and truth meet together" [6]. This framework helps children understand that God's forgiveness is not arbitrary leniency but costly grace purchased through Christ.
Christ's Example with Children
Jesus himself modeled tender attention to the young. When parents brought children to him, he "took them up in his arms" and "blessed them" [10], demonstrating that even small children were "capable of receiving Christ's blessing" [10]. His love for children appears repeatedly in the Gospels [9], making him the pattern for how mercy should be extended to the vulnerable and dependent.
Teaching Forgiveness as a Christian Grace
Children should learn that forgiveness is "commanded" and must be "unlimited" [4]. The motivation for forgiving others flows from "God's forgiveness of us" and "Christ's forgiveness of us" [4], teaching children that mercy received demands mercy extended. This forms part of their training in righteousness, as "good children" are those who "know the Scriptures" and "observe the law of God" [1]. Parents fulfill their duty by telling children "of God's judgments" and "the miraculous works of God" [2], which includes the merciful work of redemption that makes forgiveness possible.
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children, Good — The Lord is with -- 1Sa 3:19. Know the Scriptures -- 2Ti 3:15. Observe the law of God -- Pr 28:7. Their obedience to parents is well pleasing to God -- Col 3:20. Partake of the promises of God -- Ac 2:39. Shall be blessed -- Pr 3:1-4; Eph 6:2,3. Show love to parents -- Ge 46:29. Obey parents -- Ge 28:7; 47:30. Attend to parental teaching -- Pr 13:1. Take care of parents -- Ge 45:9,11; 47:12. Make their parents' hearts glad -- Pr 10:1; 29:17. Honour the aged -- Job 32:6,7. Adduced as a motive for submission to God -- Heb 12:9. Spirit of, a requisite f”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Parents — Receive their children from God -- Ge 33:5; 1Sa 1:27; Ps 127:3. Their duty to their children is To love them. -- Tit 2:4. To bring them to Christ. -- Mt 19:13,14. To train them up for God. -- Pr 22:6; Eph 6:4. To instruct them in God's word. -- De 4:9; 11:19; Isa 38:19. To tell them of God's judgments. -- Joe 1:3. To tell them of the miraculous works of God. -- Ex 10:2; Ps 78:4. To command them to obey God. -- De 32:46; 1Ch 28:9. To bless them. -- Ge 48:15; Heb 11:20. To pity them. -- Ps 103:13. To provide for them. -- Job 42:15; 2Co 12:14; 1Ti 5:8. To rule”
- Exodus “keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.” -- Exodus 34:7”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Forgiveness of Injuries — Christ set an example of -- Lu 23:34. Commanded -- Mr 11:25; Ro 12:19. To be unlimited -- Mt 18:22; Lu 17:4. A characteristic of saints -- Ps 7:4. Motives to The mercy of God. -- Lu 6:36. Our need of forgiveness. -- Mr 11:25. God's forgiveness of us. -- Eph 4:32. Christ's forgiveness of us. -- Col 3:13. A glory to saints -- Pr 19:11. Should be accompanied by Forbearance. -- Col 3:13. Kindness. -- Ge 45:5-11; Ro 12:20. Blessing and prayer. -- Mt 5:44. Promises to -- Mt 6:14; Lu 6:37. No forgiveness without -- Mt 6:15; Jas 2:13. Illustrated --”
- Psalms “Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh. -- Psalms 34:11”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Mercy — Compassion for the miserable. Its object is misery. By the atoning sacrifice of Christ a way is open for the exercise of mercy towards the sons of men, in harmony with the demands of truth and righteousness (Gen. 19:19; Ex. 20:6; 34:6, 7; Ps. 85:10; 86:15, 16). In Christ mercy and truth meet together. Mercy is also a Christian grace (Matt. 5:7; 18:33-35).”
- Luke “Luke 1:77 (BBE) — To give knowledge of salvation to his people, through the forgiveness of sins,”
- I John “I John 2:12 (BBE) — I am writing to you, my children, because you have forgiveness of sins through his name.”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 10:13: 10:13-16 Jesus’ love and concern for children has already been seen in 5:41-43; 9:36-37, 42. Jesus uses the incident to teach that the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 10:13 The ages of the children cannot be determined from this passage. The Greek word paidia can refer to a broad spectrum of ages, from a twelve-year-old child (5:41-42) down to an eight-day-old infant (Gen 17:12, Greek version). • the disciples scolded the parents: See study note on Luke 18:15-17.”
- Mark (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Mark 10:16: And he took them up in his arms - One of the Itala reads in sinu suo - "in his bosom." Jesus Christ loves little children; and they are objects of his most peculiar care. Who can account for their continual preservation and support, while exposed to so many dangers, but on the ground of a peculiar and extraordinary providence? And blessed them - Then, though little children, they were capable of receiving Christ's blessing. If Christ embraced them, why should not his Church embrace them? Why not dedicate them to God by baptism? - whether that be performed by sprinkli”