Stepping Heavenward….my summary…1&2
Sisters, we have come at last to the summary for these first two chapters. This summary is long but chocked full of good food to chew on bothdoctrinally and practically. Thanks to our sisters who contributed so muchto this discussion and their good insight into questions raised so that wecan grow in our understanding of these matters. I have included shortquotes from those posts below which I believe speak very profoundly to eachof us and help us grow in our knowledge of Christ. So then, I will share afew additional closing summary points with you.
Our Katy is a sinner in need of the grace of Jesus Christ and a convertedheart. She is a professor, a young lady living in a Christian home underthe covenant umbrella of a believing parent/parents. Whether she wasbaptized as an infant or as a young person, she is identified with thecorporate church and thus is required as a professing Christian to adhere toGod’s Word in everything. We know that without true faith and a convertedheart, it is an impossible task for anyone to obey God’s Word without thepower of the indwelling Holy Spirit. If our Katy was not a true believer,then all that she does would be done in her own beggarly power and wouldonly lead to failure, as we see it has. One of the worst burdens we canplace upon our children, professing covenant children or not, is the awfulresponsibility of “acting and thinking biblically” when they are totally”depraved” in heart and mind and without Christ’s provisions in the gospel.They can obey, just as any unsaved person can obey, certain rules andregulations and adjust their behavior accordingly as best they can but thatwill only bring more judgment by Christ if true conversion does not occur.Thus, it is always incumbent upon godly parents to “bring their children upin the nurture and admonition of the Lord” in all of its applications ofjudgment and grace. As I stated in earlier posts and below, we do not knowKaty’s heart but we know “them by their fruits” and we see from this “fruitinspection” that Katy is in need of grace applied by Christ. One of themany blessings of being a covenant child (i.e., a child living in aChristian home under the hearing and preaching of the gospel, godlydiscipline and training in righteousness leading them to Christ under thepromises and hope of the gospel) is that we have opportunity daily to knowChrist and all of the blessings of the covenant to God’s people because Godhas so placed us sovereignty for His purposes where we are. There are noguarantees because we are born or brought up in a Christian home, Reformed(covenantal) or otherwise that we or our children will be saved. There isone salvation plan of God and two categories of people, the “elect”(thesaved) and the non-elect (the unsaved). It is folly to believe that becauseour children are raised in a Christian or covenantal home, are baptizedeither as an infant or child, that this guarantees anything to them.Baptism is a “sign” only that they have corporately identified with God’speople. Neither water baptism nor man’s own works of lawkeeping will savethem, only Christ alone (Solus Christus). Christ, by His providentialwork and ordination of them (election) before the foundation of the world,before they could do either good or evil, is the only guarantee of theirsalvation. Thus, the responsibility for us as Christian parents is to bringthe gospel to our children every day and in every way by praying, byeducation, by loving leadership, by confession and forgiveness, by love anddiscipline and by our submission to God’s providence and plan in theirlives. Salvation is all of mercy and grace and we beseech Christ for ourchildren and family (just as Mother did for Katy) and trust in His sovereignand merciful will for their lives. Knowing these things should make us”wise” and help us use good biblical discernment as we live before Him inthankfulness for the mercy He has already shown us in Christ and for theprivilege of serving Him in our families.
Thus said, I will share several paragraphs on these subjects from someexcellent sources as well as share recommendations for several excellentbooks on these subjects in an additional post following.* As soldiers ofJesus Christ living in a sinful world with sinners, including our ownchildren and families, and our daily need for correction and grace in ourown lives, we need all the help we can get from the many counselors (theHoly Spirit, the Bible, godly authors, teachers, counselors - “in themultitude of counselors there is safety”) and practical helps from oneanother so that all we do is done to the glory of God and the good of ourown souls and our families. Be encouraged as we continue in our studies to”think and act biblically” rightly dividing the word of truth and makebiblical application of godly principles to your own life as you continue inyour responsibilities as wives and mothers.
* See next post.
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Soli Deo Gloria, joan [VA]
* See next post.
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Soli Deo Gloria, joan [VA]
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