Children are what their parents make them by their instruction, discipline, and example. Hence the overwhelming importance of parental faithfulness in training the young for the service of God. Children should early be taught the sacredness of religious obligations. This is a most important part of their education. Our duty to God should be performed before any other. The strict observance of God’s law, from principle, should be taught and enforced. “For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments: and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.” {5T 37.2}

Børn er hvad deres forældre gør dem til, ved deres belæring, opdragelse og eksempel. Derfor er forældrenes pålidelighed så overmåde vigtig i oplæringen af unge til Guds tjeneste. Børn bør lære religiøse forpligtelsers hellighed tidligt. Det er den vigtigste (38) del af deres opdragelse. Vor opgave over for Gud bør gøres frem for alt andet. Streng overholdelse af Guds lov, af princip, bør belæres og håndhæves. »For han satte et vidnesbyrd i Jakob, i Israel gav han en lov, idet han bød vore fædre at lade deres børn det vide, at en senere slægt kunne vide det og børn, som fødtes siden, stå frem og fortælle deres børn derom, så de slår deres lid til Gud og ikke glemmer Guds gerninger, men overholder hans bud, ej slægter fædrene på, en vanartet, stridig slægt, hvis hjerte ikke var fast, hvis ånd var utro mod Gud."