When the Lord taught His disciples the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens in Matthew 5-7, He spoke to them as though they were already regenerated sons of God. He taught them that God was their Father (Matt. 5:48; 6:1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 14-15, 18, 32; 7:11). According to time, however, they were not actually regenerated until after His resurrection, about three years later (John 20:17). Although the children of the saints are "holy" (1 Cot. 9:14) positionally, they are still unsaved and unregenerated dispositionally until they receive the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior (John 20:31). We hope that through the teaching of the Word they will become "wise unto salvation" (2 Tim. 3:15). As we teach each lesson, on the one hand we must impress the children in a positive way that God is their dear, loving, faithful, and trustworthy Father. This is to encourage them from the perspective of their position. On the other hand, we want to impress them with God's standard, requirement, and righteousness. This is to warn them, make them sober and aware of their need of Jesus as their Savior and Lord. This is from the perspective of their actual condition, for many of them may not yet be born again.