Christianity is not an oligarchy or a corporation, it is a one-to-one relationship with the Almighty God of the universe. This relationship cannot be inherited from family. It cannot be absorbed from friends. Each person must make a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior to become a child of God. This means there are no second-generation Christians.
This same principle applies to leadership and positions of authority in the church. Therefore, we need to be incredibly careful before laying hands suddenly on sons and daughters of loved and respected leaders. If we look at Biblical precedent, the second generation almost never ends well.
Examples of second-generation leaders
It takes a special anointing and calling from the Holy Spirit to be a godly leader. It is rare for children to share the same gift and calling. It can happen. But it shouldn’t be expected.
The bad example of Aaron’s sons
- Nadab and Abihu were the wrong people using the wrong tools in the wrong place at the wrong time for the wrong reason (and they may have been drunk at the time) so God judged them with fire (Leviticus 10)
The bad example of Eli’s sons
- Eli’s wicked sons allowed to rule (1 Samuel 2:12-26)
- A warning from God against the family (1 Samuel 2:27-36)
- Eli’s sons die according to prophecy (1 Samuel 4:1-11)
- The fulfillment of the prophecy (1 Samuel 4:12-22)
The bad example of Samuel’s sons
- Samuel’s sons perverted justice (1 Samuel 8:14)
The bad example of King David’s sons
- Amnon raped his half-sister (2 Samuel 13)
- Absalom killed Amnon (2 Samuel 13)
- Absalom rebelled against his father and raped his wives (2 Samuel 15)
- Adonijah illegally claims the throne (1 Kings 1)
The bad example of King Jotham’s son
- Ahaz did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the Lord as his father Jotham had done. Instead, he followed the bad example of the Kings of Israel. He even sacrificed his own son in the fire to pagan gods. (2 Kings 16)
The bad example of King Hezekiah’s son
- Manasseh was one of the most ungodly kings in the Bible unlike his godly father King Hezekiah. He even setup carved idols to foreign pagan gods in the temple. And he practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft. He did so much that was evil in the LORD’s sight, that God allowed Babylon to conquer Judah. (2 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 33)
By contrast, there are a few standout examples of godly second-generation leaders from ungodly first-generation leaders
- Asa was the first godly king of Judah. He removed all the idols his father, wicked King Abijah, had made (2 Chronicles 14; 1 Kings 15)
- Josiah was a godly king of Judah who began his reign when he was 8 years old. He introduced sweeping reforms to correct the ungodly idolatry of his father Amnon (2 Kings 22)
- Hezekiah was a godly son of wicked King Ahaz (2 Kings 16)
- The descendants of Korah wrote Psalm 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 84, 85, 87, and 88
Every Christian is a first-generation child of God
It has been wisely said that God doesn’t have grandchildren. Every Christian is a first-generation child of God.
The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:9-13)
Therefore, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him. For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God; and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences. For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died. He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:6-15 WEB)