Give Them Grace

Give Them Grace:  Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus is a good resource for those wanting to root their parenting in the gospel.  Gospel churches are filled with gospel people who are gospel parents with gospel kids.

More than the tired parenting book of tips and techniques, hints and helps, or principles and practices, Elyse Fitzpatrick calls Christian parents to be about the minute-by-minute work of giving children the grace of the gospel.

Speaking of the obedience which parents want from their children, Fitzpatrick states

If our human obedience or morality isn't motivated by gratitude for God's grace, it is very dangerous.  If not rooted in gratitude for God's love for us in Christ, morality is deadlier to the soul than immorality.  Why?  Remember that Jesus said it is those who are lost, who know they need a physician, that he came to save (Luke 19:10).  Those who excel at [social, civic, and religious laws] may not see their need for a Savior; their hearts may be hardened and unfazed by God's grace.  Remember that it was the woman who knew that she had been forgiven for much who loved much (Luke 7:47).  Forgiveness for deep offenses breeds deep love.  Forgiveness for perceived and reasonable slights breeds apathetic disdain.  A society riddled with self-congratulatory morality will be satanic and resistant to grace.  It will be nice and tidy and loveless and, oh, so dead.  And it will be only a breath away from murder.  Remember that it was the religious leaders, not the prostitutes, who called for the execution of the Christ.

Pastor Todd