Parents' role in saving their children from eternal hell???A brother posted a quote on parenting, and some exchanges transpired below.
Adam posted this quote
I have often thought that Christ speaks to you, as Pharaoh's daughter did to Moses's mother, "take this child and nurse it for me." 0, sirs, consider, what a precious jewel is committed to your charge, what an advantage you have to show your love to Christ, to stock the generation with noble plants, and what a joyful account you may make if you be faithful....Is not the duty clear? And dare you neglect so direct a command? Are the souls of your children of no value? Are you willing that they should be brands of hell? Are you indifferent whether they be damned or saved? Shall the devil, run away with them without control? Will not you use your utmost endeavors to deliver them from the wrath to come?” ~ James Janeway
FOW:
What a challenge!
Sing F Lau
God's grace in Christ alone shall save a man from eternal hell - nothing more and nothing less, lest eternal salvation by the free and sovereign grace of God ALONE is denied.
However, godly parenting shall save many from the hell on earth.
EVEN SO, the gospel ministry will save many of God's children from much temporal judgment and destruction. Only those whom the Lord has saved by His free and sovereign grace will benefit from the gospel ministry. It is foolishness unto all others!
Adam:
Sing... do you have kids? If so, I would be very curious to hear how you raise them in accordance to Eph 6:4 seeing that you are not sure if they are the elect or not.
Sing F Lau
I don't have kids, I have 4 children, 21, 19, 17, and 14. Training children is based solely upon the revealed will of God... what God expects every parent to train and teach what their children ought to know and how they should live in God's world as moral creatures made in the image of God.
Only God can make them His own children. But as parents I am commanded to train them as moral creatures made in the image of God, living in His world and are held accountable, and answerable to Him.
People don't take God's word seriously do they?
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12-13.
I take for granted that the spiritual birth by God must PRECEDE the ability to believe in Christ.
I believe this passage rules out ABSOLUTELY any possibility of human contribution or assistance of any kind or manner towards a person's SON-SHIP with God.
Human efforts, those that have been ordained by God, are most necessary for the DISCIPLE-SHIP of a child of God (which is solely by God's free and sovereign grace)
Distinction is the essence of sound theology - whether doctrinal or practical.
Adam
Sing - I have noticed that the comments you place on all your posts tend to go back to your one point rather than just simply commenting on the matter at hand. The original point of the post is an admonition that we ought to be concerned about the souls of our children. Do you agree with this or not?
Sing F Lau
Brother, that is exactly what I am doing - commenting on the matter at hand. I go back to the one basic fundamental point BECAUSE that has either been rejected or denied or perverted.
The original point of your quote is that we should be concerned with the ETERNAL SALVATION of our children. And all these rhetorical questions prove that:
"...Are you willing that they should be brands of hell? Are you indifferent whether they be damned or saved? Shall the devil, run away with them without control? Will not you use your utmost endeavors to deliver them from the wrath to come?”
These questions plainly imply that the author believe that parents can do something towards the eternal salvation of their children!
My comment is to show that that notion is erroneous.
By nature, each child is conceived in sin and born in sin, already child of wrath, unable to receive spiritual things... unless God Himself has worked grace in them. God alone, by His grace through His Son alone, can save a man from that condemned state. In that, no man can do anything or assist God in any way.
God alone, by His grace in Christ alone, can and will take care of all those things raised in the rhetorical questions, i.e. God alone, by His grace in Christ alone can save a man from hell, save a man from eternal damnation, save a man from the hand of the devil, save a man from the wrath to come. In these NO MAN can do anything or assist in anyway!
But parents can do a great deal to save their children from HELL on earth, in this life. Yes, we are to be very concerned about the soul of our children - BUT only in the temporal sense... relating to their temporal well-being.
God expects us to do those things that are in our capacity to do. God alone can, and will do those things that He alone has power to do.
May our Lord grant you understanding, and teach the truth of the gospel.
