PARENTING-SUCCESS
If we measure our success as
parents solely by what our children become, there is no inviolable guarantee in
Scripture that we will experience absolute success on those terms…The true
measure of success for Christian parents is the parents’ own character. To the degree that we have followed God’s
design for parenting, we have succeeded as parents before God.
Successful Christian Parenting, 1998, p. 17.
As a general rule, parents who
follow biblical principles in bringing up their children will see a
positive effect on the character of their children. From a purely statistical point of view, children who grow up in
Christ-honoring homes are more likely to remain faithful to Christ in adulthood
than kids growing up in homes where the parents dishonor the Lord. The truism of Proverbs 22:6 does apply. We’re certainly not to think that God’s
sovereignty in salvation means the way we raise our kids is immaterial. God often uses faithful parents as
instruments in the salvation of children.
John MacArthur
Successful Christian Parenting, 1998, p. 18.
Many of man’s philosophies
for the rearing of children typically arise from individual experiences. Moreover, in the area of bringing up
children, even Christians often look to ungodly counsel, or to “common sense,”
rather than to the sole authority and totally sufficient standard of the
Scriptures.
Biblical Counseling Foundation
Self-Confrontation Manuel, Lesson 16, Page 3, Used by Permission
of the Biblical Counseling Foundation.
The goal of parenting is to
work yourself out of a job. The goal of
parenting is to send young adults out into the world who are prepared to live
as God’s children and as salt and light in a corrupt and broken world.
Paul David Tripp
Age of Opportunity, P&R Publishing, 1997, p. 192-193,
Used by Permission.