Teen Bible Study

It's hard to be a teenager, and it's even harder to be a Christian teenager. Every day, Christians are bombarded with messages from their peers and the world around them, telling them they have to act a certain way and do certain things in order to be accepted. Unfortunately, many of these things teens are told they "must" do go directly against God's will for their lives.

The Christian teen must spend time in regular Bible study and prayer. This is the only way he/she will mature to be the man/woman God wants him/her to be. What does God desire for His people? That they be holy as He is holy (see Leviticus 11:44, 19:20, 20:7; 1 Peter 1:16). "Holy," in this case, means set apart or consecrated. The Christian must set him/herself apart from the rest of the world in order to become more like Christ. That is the goal for every Christian (see Ephesians 4:15, 22-24).

The Bible truly has answers for people in all stages and from all walks of life. It speaks both directly and indirectly to many of the issues teens face on a daily basis. Here are just a few verses that will guide any teen to some much-needed answers and a closer walk with the Lord.

Peer Pressure. Simply defined, this is the influence a teen's so-called friends have over him/her to change his/her beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors to fit in with the norm. It should not be difficult to see that these influences will be doubly harmful for the Christian teen who does not want to isolate him/herself from the rest of the world. What does the Bible say about peer pressure? Basically, don't worry about it. Look at what Paul says in Galatians 1:10. The key to remember here is that Christian teens should value God and what He says more than they value what their peers say about them. Easier said than done, right? But no one ever said the Christian life was easy!

Dating. The Christian teen is called to a higher standard of purity and holiness than his/her non-believing peers. The Bible advises Christians to only date other Christians (see 2 Corinthians 6:14). There is a very good reason for this. While it is true that a believer can influence his/her non-believing friends for the better, it is more often the case that the believer will get dragged back down into ungodly living. God created sex, but He created it to be between one man and one woman who stayed with each other for their entire lives. So many times, teen relationships do not last more than a few years, if that long. Most people do not marry their high school sweetheart. Throw sex into the mix, and Christian teens are setting themselves up for any number of physical, emotional, and spiritual difficulties (see 1 Corinthians 6:18-19

Relationships with Parents. The Bible commands children to behave in a certain way toward their parents. Most Christian teens are familiar with the verse, "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12, ASV), but how many realize that that particular command is followed by a promise? "...that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you." This promise is repeated in both the Old and New Testaments. The teen years are often a time of rebellion as the teenager seeks to find his/her own identity in the world. This can be a tough process, and parents can certainly be trying at times because they want their teens to stay little and completely dependent on them for just a little while longer. It's hard to give up control, and it's even harder to wrestle control from someone who doesn't want to give it. The key here is to remember that God has given parents the role as guardians over their children, and because of this, they deserve the respect of their children. Christian teens who seek to honor God need to remember that, even though they may not agree with everything their parents are saying and/or doing, they still need to respect their parents. And, by doing that, they will improve-and even lengthen--their own lives.

Planning for the Future. For many teens, this may be the first time they have ever seriously considered what they will be "when they grow up." The Christian teen, of course, will be largely concerned with what is God's will for his/her life. God may not always give immediate straight answers regarding the right career path and/or life partner, etc. But the Christian believer can be sure of one thing-God does have a plan, and he will never leave his children to fend for themselves. There are many verses that speak to this fact. These include: Psalm 48:14; Proverbs 3:5-6; Isaiah 58:11; and Jeremiah 29:11.

The Bible has so much more to say to teens on many other issues. There are several teen study bibles on the market now that are easy to read, and they include many helpful insights into how teens can walk the authentic Christian walk. God is the ultimate source of all knowledge, and Christian teens would do well to seek Him in everything.

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