by Craig Dennison, Deputation Speaker

One aspect of the work of the TBS is the distribution of Bibles to schoolchildren. In this article we are going to be examining the Biblical warrant for distributing Bibles in schools.

The Scriptures lay the primary duty of teaching the Word of God to children to their parents. But the church should quite rightly not exclude children from its efforts to fulfil the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ, especially since sadly in many homes children are not taught the Scriptures.

The emphasis of the Society’s endeavour is not to exert an influence on the education system but rather to introduce children who attend schools to the Word of God. With most children in the United Kingdom (and elsewhere) attending schools it makes sense to concentrate efforts on reaching children where they assemble. By distributing Scriptures in schools we can access children who we might not otherwise have the opportunity to reach.

Scriptural Truths

Children are sinners who need to experience the new birth

When Paul declares in Romans 3.23 ‘for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God’, he is not referring exclusively to adults; children are included in this statement. This is further emphasised in Romans 5.12: ‘wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned’.

David refers to the sin found in children in two of his Psalms. In Psalm 51.5 we learn sin exists from the womb: ‘behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me’. In Psalm 58.3 we see how quickly sin manifests itself in the life of children: ‘the wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies’.

We should never view children as those who do not need the Word of God. Children are sinners by nature and by practice. Therefore they are legitimate candidates to receive the Scriptures which can show them their sinfulness and the grace and mercy found in Jesus Christ.

Children can understand Biblical spiritual truths

Samuel was a child when he was given to the service of God, living and serving in the temple with Eli. It is evident that even as a young boy he was able to discern spiritual truths as they were revealed to him. Paul in his epistle to Timothy writes: ‘and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus’ (2 Timothy 3.15). Paul is not indicating that Timothy merely knew about the existence of Scriptures from a young age, but that even then he understood the truths revealed in them.

It is the Holy Spirit who reveals spiritual truth to sinners (cf. 1 Corinthians 2.10). The Holy Spirit is not limited to working in adults or those with the gifts and abilities to discern spiritual things; the Holy Spirit gives these gifts indiscriminately to sinners of all ages and aptitudes. Speaking of the work of the Holy Spirit our Lord Jesus Christ said in John 3.8 ‘the wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit’. To deny that the Holy Spirit can cause children to understand spiritual truth is to restrict the operations of the Holy Spirit in a way Scripture does not.

God can save children

As the revelation of spiritual truth is not limited to adults, neither is the work of regeneration. God is able to convict children of sin, bring them to see their need of repentance, open their eyes to understand the atoning work of Christ, produce faith, and perform the work of conversion in their souls.

To demonstrate the ability of God to regenerate people of any age, we have the example of John the Baptist. It is generally understood that John the Baptist was converted in the womb. In Luke 1.41 we read: ‘and it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost’. This is not a coincidental ‘leaping’; divinely inspired Scripture tells us it is directly linked to Elisabeth hearing the salutation of Mary. The commentator John Gill remarks on this verse: ‘perhaps it was at this time that John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost also’.¹

Furthermore, to limit God to only converting adults is to ignore the testimony of many millions of saints who professed faith in their childhood years.

Scripture stresses the importance of educating children in spiritual truth

Scripture is replete with instructions for children to be educated in spiritual truths.

♦ Deuteronomy 4.9: ‘teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons’.

♦ Deuteronomy 6.6–7: ‘and these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up’.

♦ Deuteronomy 11.19–20: ‘And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates’.

♦ Ephesians 6.4: ‘and, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord’.

While these verses relate to the spiritual education of children in the family home, they also demonstrate two things. First, children can be taught spiritual truths. Second, there is a responsibility for adults to teach Scripture to children. We may not be able to enter the home and minister spiritual truth to the children who live there, but we can provide the home with a copy of the Scriptures and pray the Lord will cause His Word to be effectual in the hands that receive it.

It is important to teach children God’s Word early in life

Scripture shows the importance of educating children with Biblical truth from a young age. In Proverbs 22.6 we read: ‘train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it’. It is for the betterment of the child that they know spiritual wisdom from a young age. Scripture will teach them how sin is an offence to a Holy God, it can convict their consciences of their guilt as lawbreakers, and it will educate them of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Scriptural Examples

The Lord Jesus Christ had an interest in the souls of children

In Matthew 18.2–6 the Lord Jesus Christ is engaged in a discussion with His disciples. During His response to their question the Saviour takes a child to Himself and makes this child an illustration in His answer. Notice that children were not discouraged from coming to hear Jesus; they were present on many occasions when the Lord spoke publicly. For example, at the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand it was a little boy whom Andrew presented to Christ with the five loaves and two fishes (John 6.8–9).

The disciples were explicitly warned not to turn children away

In Matthew 19.13–15 we read how children were brought to Christ for Him to bless them and pray for them. However, the disciples did not consider this appropriate. Perhaps they thought the Master would not want to see the children and would prefer to focus upon the adults in attendance. Regardless, Christ rebuked His disciples with the words ‘suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven’ (verse 14).

There are several important lessons from this discourse.

♦ First, we see how Christ calls and welcomes children into His presence.

♦ Second, we see the rebuke and warning given to those who seek to hinder children being brought to Him.

♦ Third, we see that children have a part in the ‘kingdom of heaven’.

Children were gathered at public assemblies to hear the Word of God

We read in Deuteronomy 31.10–13 how the children of Israel were to gather every seven years for the feast of tabernacles. The reason children were to be assembled as well as the men and women is explained in verse 13: ‘and that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God’.

In Nehemiah 8 the people were gathered before the watergate. In verse 2 we read: ‘and Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding’. This indicates that children were present in the public gathering to hear the Word of God being read, and it was intended that it would be profitable to them. If the gathering of children in public to hear the Word of God was for their ‘understanding’, then children reading their own copy of the Holy Bible which has been given to them will, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, increase their understanding in spiritual truths.

Scriptural Exhortations

Children are to be taught the Gospel

The Great Commission is given by our Lord Jesus Christ in Mark 16.15 and Matthew 28.19–20. ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature’; ‘go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you’. This commission does not confine the preaching and teaching of the Gospel to adults or those above a certain age. This indicates very clearly the Gospel is for children also.

We should have a love for the souls of children

It is recorded of Christ in Mark 8.2 that He had ‘compassion on the multitude’ because they physically hungered. If Christ had compassion on the physical condition of the people how much more compassion does He have for their spiritual condition? Likewise, we would not wish to see a child in our community hunger for food without seeking to provide for their bodily needs. Should we not have the same or greater compassion for their immortal souls?

Conclusion

We should be thankful to God we live in a day when we can place in the hands of children copies of God’s precious Word. We can print the Holy Bible, and we have the liberty to distribute it without fear of persecution. There is a great need to reach children with the Scriptures. It is only the circulation of Holy Scripture, accompanied by the sovereign working of God the Holy Spirit producing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in His Word, that can see our nations turn from their backsliding condition.

Let us finish with an encouraging and comforting exhortation from Ecclesiastes 11.1: ‘cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days’. We pray that the provision of Bibles being placed into the hands of schoolchildren today will see a multitude of precious souls come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in the days to come.

Distributing Scriptures to schools is one of the main activities of TBS Auxiliaries. We are glad to supply discounted Bibles to all who wish to distribute them in schools.

First published in Quarterly Record 634. Last edited 10 December 2024.