How often do we open the Old Testament only to treat it like a collection of Aesop’s Fables? We tell our children the story of David and Goliath and summarize it with: “Just be brave and face the giants in your life!”
When we do this, we turn the Bible into pure moralism. We suggest that the Old Testament exists simply to show us heroes to mimic or villains to avoid. The message becomes: “The character did this and it was good, so do that. Just try harder.”
Folks, if that is true, then the Gospel is meaningless.
The Danger of “Try Harder” Christianity
Most of materials being produced for our Sunday schools and Bible studies overwhelming majority of them imply that if you just behave more like these biblical figures, you too can be a good person.
But here is the reality: It doesn’t matter how hard you try. Christ came to die for the ungodly precisely because “trying hard enough” will never satisfy a holy God. If our teaching stops at “try harder,” we aren’t giving our children the Bible—we’re giving them a burden they can’t carry.
Connecting to Redemptive History
Instead of teaching moralism, we must concentrate on connecting every Old Testament story to redemptive history. Every story is a thread in the grand tapestry of God’s plan to save His people through Jesus Christ. The Old Testament isn’t a mirror to see if you are “good enough.” It is a pointer to the only One who was ever truly good enough. Let’s move past the “do better” stories and start sharing the Good News.
Key Takeaways for Parents & Teachers
- Audit Your Language: Watch out for “Be like [Name]” or “Don’t be like [Name].” Shift the focus to: “Look what God did through [Name] to keep His promise.”
- Find the Bridge: Always ask, “How does this story show our need for a Savior, or how does it point to what Jesus eventually accomplished?”
- Grace Over Grit: Remind children that while we strive for godliness, our standing with God is based on Christ’s finished work, not our “trying harder.”
The message cannot be “just try harder.” It must be something more. It must be Christ.