Rethinking Parenting: A Gospel-Centered Approach
As Christian parents, we often turn to Ephesians 6:1-4 for guidance on raising our children. However, there’s a more fundamental passage that can shape our approach to parenting. It’s a passage that’s often overlooked in the context of parenting, but it holds the key to experiencing rest and courage in our role as parents.
A Grand Redemptive Story
The Bible is not a topical guidebook; it’s a grand redemptive story that reveals God’s character and plan for humanity. Every passage, including those that don’t seem directly related to parenting, contains truth about God, ourselves, sin, and redemption. As parents, we must learn to approach the Bible as a comprehensive narrative that informs every area of our lives.
The Great Commission: A Call to Parenting
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus gives his disciples a final command, known as the Great Commission. While this passage is often applied to evangelism and missions, it also speaks directly to parents. Our primary job as parents is to make disciples of our children, teaching them to observe everything Jesus has commanded.
Disciple-Making Parents
Our goal is not just to raise well-behaved, successful children, but to create disciples who live for the glory of God. This requires us to model a life of surrender, obedience, and worship. We must teach our children to think biblically, to see the world through the lens of God’s Word. This means helping them develop a comprehensive biblical worldview that informs every aspect of their lives.
Grace-Driven Parenting
We can’t produce disciples on our own; it’s a work of God’s grace. Our role is to faithfully participate in the process, relying on God’s power to transform our children. We must communicate the story of God’s amazing grace to our children, again and again, trusting that he will use it to shape their hearts.
Resting in God’s Promises
Parenting can be overwhelming, but Jesus’ promises give us hope. He reminds us that we’re not alone, that he’s always with us. Our rest as parents comes not from our success or our children’s success, but from trusting in God’s character and promises.
Reorienting Our Approach
As we rethink our approach to parenting, let’s remember that our primary goal is to make disciples of our children. Let’s rely on God’s grace, trust in his promises, and seek to create a home environment that reflects the beauty of the gospel. By doing so, we’ll experience rest and courage in our role as parents, and our children will grow into devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
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